Domestic Dispositions
by SepticMind
Summary: REMASTERED: A series of one-shots based around Jinx and Raven. Will also include other titans and characters. Follow Raven and Jinx during the more… mundane days of life.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**** It's **_**fan**_** fiction – what more needs to be said?**

**Okay guys, this is a re-post from the original in June last year (2011)! I don't know why I took his down when I was cleaning up my account, however after finding again, I'm going to repost. After going through and giving it some good editing mind you. Just something to keep you busy since college is making my other story hard to focus on, and this is quick and easy for me. After I've posted them all up, I might add some other chapters.**

**You know how it goes – each one is a one shot. Their situations/personalities will vary slightly in each. They won't link up. But they will mostly be about Jinx and Raven. No surprise there.**

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><p>Raven leaned over the kitchen's breakfast counter, idly watching Jinx scurry about around <em>her <em>kitchen. No, Jinx didn't scurry. She waltzed, or sauntered. She was the cat, not the mouse. The demi-demon smiled at that train of thought. If Jinx was the cat, what did that make her? She defiantly was not the girl's prey. No. She saw in quite the opposite direction.

"How much longer are you going to keep me waiting?" Raven spoke up, announcing her presence which, so far, had apparently gone un-noticed.

Jinx glanced back at her lover, frowning slightly. "Cooking is an Art. Ask Cy."

"I'm not talking about _that_."

"Well, unless you're planning on helping me prepare our dinner, which would speed up things considerably, you're just going to have to wait." The meta-human retorted boldly, turning her back on Raven once more. Only she could get away with that nowadays.

The empath chewed on her lower lip as her eyes morphed into a small glare. Jinx had nicknamed the expression Raven's pout, since it was the closest Raven had ever actually gotten to pouting. "It's your kitchen. Wasn't that the deal?"

The mistress of bad luck smiled, still facing away from her girlfriend. "It's your dinner."

"Order takeout." Raven grumbled, pushing away from the counter's cool surface and walking further into the kitchen to peer over the cook's shoulder. "You haven't even started yet. Not really."

"How would you know – I thought you don't cook. And I am _not_ having takeout again. Your hormones are just going to have to wait."

The demi-demon growled at that answer, and stepped into the woman until she was trapped between Raven and the kitchen counter. "We can eat afterwards."

Jinx smiled at the all too predictable move, all but ignoring the lips that found the pale skin of her neck as she continued to work on preparing their evening meal. "You know that's not going to work."

The empath pulled away, her face going into another almost-pout, before she made to stalk out of the kitchen.

"What? You're not going to help me?" Jinx turned to watch the woman leave.

"No." She paused to glance apprehensively at the kitchen utensils laid out in front of the pink haired meta-human. "I wouldn't even know where to start."

"I'll give you an easy job. Please?" Jinx fluttered her eyes a few times, plastering a forced and sickly sweet smile on her face. Nice just wasn't her. They had Starfire for that.

Raven sighed, before making her way back into the kitchen. "Don't blame me if it goes wrong."

_So much for not being the prey._

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><p><strong>Took a little influence from comic Raven for this one. She's known for being manipulative on many accounts. And badass. <strong>

**Anyways, reviews would be most welcome :)**

**EDIT: I'll probably leave the old A/N notes in they kind of amuse me.  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Reviews! :)

**Concolor44: **Indeed, Raven fairly DEFINES badass. If she teamed up with Lobo they'd corner the market. (Not that they could stand each other, but you get the idea.)  
>I'm glad you're re-posting this. As I recall, it was a great collection of hoots.<p>

_Ahah yes, I get the idea xD And I'm glad you're glad! _

**Tmj1395: **Glad to see you're back! I really missed your stories. Anywho, can't wait to see an update and more Jinx Raven shannaningins!

_I'm glad to be back! And that's nice to hear :') Ah, they'll just be the old ones for now, but I've got a few I never finished writing that should come up soon enough :)_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Read this once. Loved it then, LOVE it now!

_xD I'm glad you like it so much! Here's another old one. Hope you like it just as much. _

**A/N: Okay, so, reposting another of the old ones – been slightly edited etc and stuff. You get the picture. For those of you who are reading 'A Stroke of Bad Luck' then next chapter's almost done!**

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><p>"Raven! Yo, Rae! Look what I can do!"<p>

The empath turned away from the shelf she'd been going through, looking for Beast Boy's cereal, and looked at Jinx, her eyebrow arches having already felt the waves of childish entertainment emitting from the girl. Jinx was counting under her breath, using the cable they'd picked up for Cyborg as a skipping rope.

Raven didn't bother resisting her sigh of exasperation. "Jinx, stop that."

"But I'm on 27... 28... 29..."

Raven shook her head as she located the changeling's cereal and moved further down the aisle, hoping to leave Jinx behind, and dismayed when the girl followed, still skipping and counting under her breath.

"Do you not think we attract enough attention without you skipping down aisles too?" Raven asked tightly as a man stopped what he was doing to stare at the pair, the can in his hand completely forgotten.

"Don't be such a spoil sport!" Jinx laughed, panting lightly. "Come on Rae; doubles!"

_"What?_"

"Jump under the skipping rope!"

"Jinx, that is _not_ a skipping rope. It is a cable we picked up from the store's electrical department."

"Makes a good... rope though." The meta-human argued in a dignified voice.

"If you haven't stopped in three seconds, I'm taking it off you." The empath threatened, placing her hands on her hips, reminding Jinx of a school teacher; a sexy school teacher. "One..."

Jinx continued skipping, but turned around and headed back up the aisle away from Raven as fast as she could, laughing loudly.

"Two..."

Raven hadn't moved to go after her, but stood smiling to herself, trying to detain her chuckle of amusement at the girl's antics.

Jinx tried to cross the aisle and into the next, almost running into a mother and her child. "Sorry! Coming through!"

"Mommy, can I-"

"...Three."

Jinx let out a small squeak of surprise as Raven whispered the number into her ear, cutting out the rest of the little girl's sentence. Confused as to why the cable hadn't passed down in front of her, Jinx glanced up to find it suspended in mid-air, covered in a thin layer of obsidian energy. Tugging in what she knew was a vain attempt to move the cable, the meta-human flinched when the cable disappeared completely, giving her grip.

She heard Raven's quiet laugh and turned to find the demi-demon back by their trolly, the cable neatly wound up and resting atop of the other goods they'd picked up. Jinx slunk up to her, pouting.

"Cyborg would have let me skip around the aisles."

"Then why don't you date him?" Raven retorted, still smiling. "This is the last time I'm going shopping _anywhere_ with you."

"That's what you said last week." Jinx ginned, threading her arm through one of Raven's.

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><p><strong>(Original AN) The influence from this came from this morning, while I was walking my dog. I found out you can lengthen her leather lead so it's long enough for me to use as a skipping rope. I then found out that teenagers with bubblegum pink hair skipping with makeshift skipping ropes gain a lot of attention. Fellow dog walkers weren't impressed to see me skip past them. I figured Raven wouldn't be that impressed either. **

**R&R :)**

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><p><strong>(Edit) Wow, I don't even have pink hair any more. It's brown at the mo. So boring I know. It's going to go back to pink soon though. Again I left the original AN. Why not? But yeah, I've got two more of these to post before, two to finish off that I never posted the first time round, and then it's off to writing new one-shots! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Tmj1395: **I had totally forgotten about this one. It still manages to get a chuckle out of me and makes my day a little better. :)

_Ahah! Good. It does me too._

**Random Peep: **Lol ahh loved it, too cute and I can just see Jinx do something like that. Anyways, awesome job! Can't wait to see more! =P

_Ahah! Well, here's the next one!_

**Concolor44: **Love it! Loved it the first time, too.  
>I'd like to say that Jinx will "keep her young", you know, the way the people (that is, people WITHOUT children) say that children will keep you young, but it think it more likely that she will just drive the poor empath around the bend.<p>

_Ahah, it'll keep her young on the inside, whether she decides to show it or not :P You know Rae secretly enjoys it. _

**Spikesagitta: **Cute :) do continue with the Raven/Jinx moments!

_That I will :)_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Outside she seems a bit mad, inside she's happy to be with Jinx.

_Who wouldn't be happy to be with Jinx? :P_

**A/N: For anyone who's interested, I passed my Driving Lesson today! Passed both the theory and practical first time! Yes, I am excited. Yes I have decided I don't like feeling exited. It feels too similar to a panic attack for my liking. **

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><p>They worked in silence for a while, the only noises of metal on metal, of bolts turning and dropping to the floor before being replaced by brand new ones, which sparkled under the bright florescent lights of the tower's garage.<p>

Raven sighed and straightened up after working on a particularly tricky bolt. She never used her powers when it came to the T-Car, partly because she wouldn't risk accidently scratching or damaging the car that meant everything to her friend, but also because she _enjoyed_ the hard work. Fixing the T-Car with Cyborg was something she hadn't done in a long time – almost a year, and she hadn't realised exactly how much she'd missed it.

"So, how's life treatin' you?" Cyborg asked, breaking the silence as he wiped his hands on an old rag before reaching for his can of coke.

"It's alright." Raven nodded, sparing a small smile for her old friend. "The job's fairly easy, especially since whenever the boss turns his back I can quickly sort everything with my energy but-"

"Sounds good. Tower still feels empty without yah' though."

The smile slipped from her face, to be replaced with a sort of frown. "And I miss the tower, and all of you guys."

"You happy?"

"With Jinx?" Raven moved towards her own drink, picking up that Cyborg was more interested in talking that working on the T-Car right now. "Of course I am. I mean, you spent time with her at the Hive Five. She's... amazing."

"I really am happy for you girl, don't get me wrong. Ignoring her line of work, she's a great girl."

"But, living with her doesn't mean I don't miss you lot. Even Beast Boy, though don't tell him I said that. It is weird, living with just one other person. And not responding to crime..."

"You still could, ya know. You don't have to live in the tower to be a titan."

The empath sighed. "You know I couldn't, not if I wanted to continue dating Jinx. What if we needed to fight her or-"

"I know, I get it." Cyborg cut her short, moving to rest a hand on the girl's shoulder, "We just miss yah' here. I mean, who's gonna help me par BB? And keep Robin from loosin' his head?"

"Well, considering the fact that it's been a year, you seem to be handling it just fine."

"You gave up quite a bit for her. I hope she appreciates that."

Raven smiled slightly and shook her head. "She's no longer with the Hive, and she doesn't take as many jobs. We've both given up something Cyborg. How are Robin and Starfire anyway?"

Cyborg shrugged. "They keep having their ups and down. Well, Robin does. They'll be fine for a month, then he'll put it on hold because of a particularly hard case, then he'll pick it back up again..." He shook his head. "He's lucky Star is so caring and patient."

"I'm sure they'll work it out. If you want, next time he gets all obsessive, call me and I'll come round and hit him over the back of the head."

"I might just do that." Cyborg laughed. "He might listen to you."

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><p><strong>This really was a short one. Like 536 words short. I moved away from the babysitting thing, but by all means if you want to read more of that let me know. Also, anything you want to see, let me know and I'll get it in here at some point :)<strong>

**Was getting dirty maintaining my bike (like, my hands were literally black) before I washed down the car, and BAM, my muse was inspired. Of course, I didn't get the chance to write it down until AFTER I'd finished cleaning the car -_-**

**Reviews welcome as always :)**

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><p><strong>(EDIT) : Still short. Although I'm posting this before the baby sitting one this time, so I can get both of those chapters up together. Now that's planning for you :P<strong>


	4. Chapter 4 Babysitting part 1

**Please read this A/N****: While this is another old piece, I haven't gone through and edited it as I usually would. I'm posting this up because I doubt I'll get another chapter out for any of the other stories I'm writing for a day or two, after taking a turn for the worst this morning. (Collapsed blah blah and the doctors don't know what caused it) and feeling too tired to write anything. Sorry for any typos/grammar mistakes, but I felt that I had to at least post something! **

**Reviews:**

**Concolor44: **"We've both given up something ..."  
>That is the situation most times when two people move away from what they knew and were comfortable with, and move into a new relationship. You don't have to be a metahuman or a demi-demon to appreciate that fact. "Giving up something" comes with the territory. You may have to give up quiet time in the morning, sipping a cup of coffee while watching dawn break through the picture window. You may have to give up a certain (occasionally large) measure of autonomy, when you have to take someone else's needs and peculiarities into account. That's just the way it is. It looks as if Raven and Jinx are managing just fine.<p>

_Tis always the hardest part to get used to during a relationship. _

**Tmj1395:** I always did enjoy Cyborg. It's nice to see some Raven and Cyborg friendship time. Excellent job as always.

_I like Cyborg. Gotta say he's one of my fave characters. Glad you liked! _

**Random Peep: **Congratz on passing your Driving Lesson! Welcome to the world of bad driving  
>lol. Anyways, awesome job on this chapter. Short n cute. xP<p>

_Ahah, thanks! Glad you liked :)_

**Spikesagitta:** Heh :) looking forward to the rest then!

_:)_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater:** Planning huh? ^_^

_Ahah indeed. _

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><p>"I never even thought I'd have to discuss this with you, but we are <em>not<em> having kids here!"

"Look, it's only for a few days – just until the Monastery is restored. They're good kids..."

"Raven I thought you _hated_ children." Jinx mimicked one of Raven's exasperated faces to perfection, as she rested her hand on her hip.

"I hate people in general, children included, yes. However I have babysat these three before. Besides, you like people."

"Not running around my apartment! I mean, there's all my art stuff, and we need to keep the sofa's clean. Not to mention the carpet and we don't have any of the stuff kids need-" She looked closed to pulling her hair out, and Raven remembered with a smile when she first discovered Jinx's obsession with neatness.

The empath herself wasn't one to leave things out of its place but that was more due to habit – a habit first picked up in the Temple of Azarath, and later continued when she realised the only place in Titans Tower she could count on being clean was her own room. Such was life when you lived with three males. However Jinx took it to the point where Raven was sure she'd have to get the meta-human diagnosed with OCD. The girl even managed to keep the room designated for her art stuff clean and ordered.

"Remember the Monastery bit? I'm sure they're used to rules. And that's _our_ apartment. I believe I am paying for half the rent, am I not? Of course if you would like to pay for it all..."

"No, I am so not paying your half of the rent; and yes I did remember that little detail but FYI! They aren't demi-demons who grew up with the Monks following their every move. Do they even know they're dropping the kids off to stay with a lesbian couple for a few days? Don't Monks frown down upon that kinda thing?"

"What they don't know won't harm them." Raven shrugged, moving over to the sofa and sitting down, picking up her book. "After all, the kids' safety comes first. Melvin may be a little too old to easily be influenced by anyone, but Timmy and Teether are at prime age to be abducted, or 'taken in' by the Hive Academy, as you should know." She glanced at Jinx over the top of her book, before going back to the pages. "They'll be staying in the spare room, they eat what we eat – I don't see what the problem is. Anyway, I agreed to fetch them at two. That's in half an hour. This conversation is moot."

"I do see a problem – I mean, you're not doing the whole superhero malarkey anymore; it's not like you can ask your friends to cover for you, and we both have jobs. Maybe not full time on my part due to my... uh... hobby, but-"

"I've booked the time off – stop trying to avoid the inevitable!"

"Inevitable is the toaster dying when you need it most, or our little romance stunt on the battlefield three years ago. Babysitting is not inevitable."

"I think our little 'stunt' as you put it was very evitable." Raven commented dryly, shaking her head slightly. "You're generally childish, hyper, and you have bubblegum pink hair. They'll love you."

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><p>Jinx sat slumped in the sofa, watching the three kids who were sat opposite her, cursing herself for not offering to get their take-out off the delivery man. She felt like she was in an interrogation room.<p>

"Are you a friend of Raven's?" The blonde girl who looked about ten asked.

"Somethin' like that."

"And you live here too?"

"Yup."

The two younger boys were watching the conversation like a tennis match, content to let the eldest talk. "Why's your hair pink?"

"Urm... I was born with it like that?"

"Like Raven."

"Yeah, let's go with that."

"Why?" Melvin frowned, looking more and more like the police officers Jinx had sat across tables from one to many times.

"Why what?"

"Why pink?"

"I don't know. Why are you blonde?"

Teether burped, and Timmy erupted into a fit of laugher, pointing at the younger boy, who soon joined in. Melvin was looking at the boys as though they had a disease of some sort, before turning back to Jinx. "Why's Raven taking so long?"

"I don't know – why don't you go ask her." Jinx crossed her arms, frowning as she slid further down the back of the sofa.

"I know, I don't like her either Bobby." Melvin spoke with her eyes to the side, glancing at the empty space beside the sofa.

"Who the _hell_ is Bobby?"

"I'm telling Raven! You're not allowed to say bad words." The blonde threatened, a smug smile on her face.

"Yeah, yeah. Just answer the question."

"Bobby's to stay in the living room." Raven told the girl as she walked in, a plastic bag in one hand. "Unless you've managed to shrink him to the size of an ordinary human being or a kitten, he is way too big for the apartment." She walked over to the kitchen counter and started unloading cardboard pizza boxes. "Jinx, watch your language."

Jinx gave the empath her best are-you-crazy face. "Who is Bobby? There's no one here!"

"He's a manifestation of Melvin's powers." Raven shrugged, before glancing at the girl in question. "Though he is real."

"So what, we're babysitting _four_ people? I thought you said three!"

Raven frowned at her girlfriend. "Bobby doesn't need babysitting. Grab a plate and help yourself." She glanced at the kids. "But get any food on the furniture or carpet, and Jinx'll have you for breakfast."

The kids all threw apprehensive looks at the meta-human before running over to Raven.

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><p>"Get up! Get up! Come on! It's five! Why are you still in bed?"<p>

"Like I'm gonna get up at bloody five." Jinx grumbled quietly, frowning, slightly dazed after the rude interruption to her sleep, pulling Raven closer against her with the hold she had round the empath's waist. She paused, eyes opening, then shutting again as someone ripped open the curtains. Blasted summer and it's early sunrises. She suddenly realised that the voice had belonged to a boy – a remarkably loud voice, and remembered the 'visitors' they'd gained the previous night. Jinx's frown deepened as Raven mumbled something before handing Jinx her hand back – not that she wanted it back; at all – and climbed out of bed.

"You kid's ever heard of a lie in?" Jinx rolled on to her back, before glaring down at the two boys who stood at the open door, Melvin rejoining them.

"Monastery times." Raven yawned, slipping her black silk dressing gown over the sweats and oversized t-shirt she'd pulled out the bottom of the wardrobe last night. The meta-human had gone for the more flattering assemble of grey shorts and a pink strappy top that matched her hair; her usual workout clothes, having not even considered looking at nightclothes after leaving the Hive Five base behind.

Jinx smirked slightly at how out of place that robe looked when it wasn't covering just flesh, before pulling her pillow over her head. "You go on ahead. I think I'll stay here a bit longer."

"Hey guys, what do you think to Jinx making us pancakes for breakfast?" Raven asked, smiling at what she could see of her girlfriend.

"Pancakes!" All three kids gasped. "Can we? Please."

Jinx lifted the pillow of her face enough to glare at Raven, noting a slightly malicious glint in the woman's smile. "You do realise I'm going 'out' at four. If I'm sloppy because I'm tired, I'll be leaving it for you to bail me out."

"Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes..!"

"If you're sloppy, it'll be your own fault. And I won't be bailing you out. You have to be back, because I can't cook, and while I'm sure they wouldn't protest against take-out again, I would."

"...Pancakes! Pancakes...!"

"Back from where?" Melvin frowned.

"Work." Raven answered smoothly. "Unlike me, Jinx didn't book the days you are here off."

"...Panca-"

"Okay, okay! Just shut up already!" Jinx rolled out of bed in one swift movement and marched straight into the kitchen, only pausing to address Raven in a whisper. "You are so paying for this."

"Don't forget to make Bobby's!" Melvin yelled after her.

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><p>"Oooh Rae! We're passing the candy store! Please!" Jinx straightened up from the stupor she'd been since leaving the house and rushed forward so she was walking backwards in front of her girlfriend.<p>

"No."

"Candy store?" Timmy asked excitedly.

"No." She glared at the pink haired woman for setting them off. Jinx just smiled back.

"Come on Rae. I'll pay. Just a little bit!"

"No means no, Jinx."

Melvin stuck her tongue out at Jinx, who returned the gesture, before she put on her 'grown up' voice. "If we eat candy now, it'll ruin our lunch."

"You're a kid." Jinx frowned at the girl. "You're supposed to like sweets. Do anything for them even, not agree with Raven!"

"You're sleeping on the floor tonight."

"But-"

"At the foot of the bed."

"Oh, now that's just adding insult to injury! You do realise that when they come charging through at five in the morning, that door is going to plough into me."

"Yes. What of it?"

"Female dog." She muttered, not wanting to get into even more trouble for swearing as she moved back to her original spot behind the four, sulking.

They were suddenly mobbed as everyone on the sidewalk started running forward, a few screaming. The group paused, the two women turning to look behind them, Raven's years of training kicking in as her body went into fight mode.

"Jinx! Pass 'em!" A man yelled in a gruff voice, and it wasn't hard for Raven to locate Mammoth, running towards them.

"Sorry big guy. You know I don't work like that no more." Jinx shook her head, glancing at Raven. Her fist began glowing with pink hex energy.

"Now here's a titan we aint seen in a long time." SeeMore grinned, stepping around Mammoth. "Next time I see your friends, I'll tell 'em you said hi."

"You do that." Raven replied, her voice slipping back into its old monotone self. "I'd leave now, before you find yourself behind bars."

"You call in the cops, and your date will be joining us. Her last heist didn't go so well, did it Jinx?" Gizmo sneered, hovering a few feet above the ground thanks to spider legs that had extended out the back of his backpack. Jinx just smiled as Raven gave her a slightly amused glance. "And we want you to meet Jinx's replacement."

A woman clad in tight black pants and a crop top walked out from behind Mammoth, glancing at Jinx with a sneer. "That's who I've replaced? No wonder you guys were always failin'."

"Can't believe you guys let yourself get sucked back into the Hive Academy." The meta-human shook her head. "Didn't you learn from the first time?"

Raven grabbed Timmy's and Teether's hands, and motioned at Melvin to move forward slowly, hoping Jinx would keep them talking long enough to get the kids out of here. Apparently SeeMore had interests elsewhere though.

"Nuh-uh. We're not lettin' you get away that easily! I spy with my big ol' eye, Rae still wears thongs!" SeeMore chortled

Raven turned to face the man, whose eye was currently black with white outlines, ready to give him what he deserved when a pink flash hit the concrete at his feet, and the villain was thrown backwards with a yell.

"No one looks at her underwear but me." Jinx growled.

The new woman smiled, before quickly giving out orders. "Mammoth, SeeMore, you deal with the kids. Gizmo, take out the ex-titan. I'll deal with Jinx."

Raven moved herself into a protective stance in front of the three kids, and supposedly Bobby who was still hidden from view, watching the three men advance, confidant Jinx could handle herself against the unfamiliar woman. Gizmo flicked a switch on his remote, and two extra metal appendages sprouted from the pack on his back, and tried to grab the empath. She waved her hand in the direction of the artificial appendages, and they were severed by a razor sharp, thin disk of black energy.

SeeMore fired some sort of eye at Raven, and she quickly deflected it back towards them with a shield, where it hit a lamp post and exploded. Finally Mammoth made his first move and charged forward. He hit the shield with a loud thud, and the emapth quickly poured more energy into it, trying to strengthen it as she slid backwards slightly. Gizmo moved around the shield, hoping Raven was too distracted to notice, before finding himself airborne, shooting backwards and colliding into his new leader, knocking them both into the ground. The kids erupted into a chorus of yelling and clapping, Raven doing her best to ignore them as she turned to look at Mammoth with a small smile, pushing slightly on the shield separating them, sending the villain back a few inches.

Mammoth brought his fist round and down with a warrior's roar and the smile vanished off the empath's face as the shield flickered and she had to work to maintain it.

The oversized man laughed. "You're not the only one who's grown stronger."

She suddenly dropped at the floor underneath her feet stopped supporting her weight, and became something not all that different from water.

"Raven!" The three kids yelled from behind her.

"Thanks Shimmer." Mammoth shouted at the villainess before stepping around Raven.

"Shit!" She glanced at Jinx who was currently stuck in combat, and at the three members of the Hive Five who were advancing on Melvin, Timmy and Teether, before trying to levitate out of the strange liquid, only to find it quickly hardening, changing back into it's original mass.

"Bobby, help Raven!" Melvin yelled, and the big bear materialised.

He grinned at Raven with his mouth of fangs before grabbing both of the woman's arms and easily pulling her up and out of the substance. All of the villains, including Jinx, paused to take in the sight. Unluckily, Shimmer recovered first and rushed forward, hitting Jinx with a solid right hook.

Anger over took Raven, and she flew over to the pair. "Bobby, go look after Melvin and the boys." She missed his second grin, but heard his great thumping footsteps make their way over to where the kids were.

Throwing her hand forward she hit the new villain Shimmer with a blast of obsidian energy, and the woman flew backwards, her flight halted by a lamp-post. Raven moved over to Jinx who had already started pushing herself to her feet. She watched the meta-human throw a blast of energy in the woman's direction, smiling when the lamp-post she was currently leaning against groaned and split half way up, the upper half falling on Shimmer, apparently knocking her unconscious.

They looked over to where the three kids were standing. Gizmo was running about on the road, trying to reach the pack on his back that was currently a crumpled mess. The giant, slightly deformed teddy bear had SeeMore dangling from one paw, as he kept squatting Mammoth away from the kids with his other paw.

"Heh. A one man – I mean bear- team." Jinx smirked, impressed. "Bobby's good."

Raven rolled her eyes before flying towards them, Jinx running to keep up. "You keep an eye on Shimmer."

"She's not goin nowhere." The meta-human protested. "I'll try an' distract Mammoth while you take 'im down."

"Plotting against your ex-team?"

"They're the ones who sent miss glitter-butt against me. They know the rules."

"Which are?"

"I don't do anything that would involve going against you, and anyone who does take up that job can be expected to get their ass's kicked my moi personally." The woman grinned, before overtaking Raven and running round in front of Mammoth. "Yo, I got your leader – with a little help mind you. That the best you got?"

The giant turned and looked at Shimmer's crumpled form, before turning round and looking angrier than she'd ever seen him. "You hurt my sister!"

"Your _sister_? No way. You never said you had a sis!"

Mammoth ignored her and charged again towards the kids, this time jumping around the bear's paw. Raven quickly set up a barrier, but he ploughed through it, Raven being thrown back physically by an unseen force. Jinx burst into a run, shoving Melvin to the floor just in time as Jinx was caught by Mammoth's charge and sent flying into the wall of the candy shop. She dropped limply to the floor at the bottom, and Raven picked the man up with her energy before slamming him into the floor and giving him for Bobby to hold.

"Jinx!" Raven knelt down, moving her girlfriend so she was lying on her back.

"Urgh. I think I broke a rib." The meta-human moaned, moving to hold her lower rib-cage.

Raven smiled, replacing Jinx's hand with her own as it started glowing crystal blue. "I can't fully heal it, but it's close."

"Right, I'll take the kids and hide out in the candy store while you call the police."

"You're still not buying anything." Raven muttered, pulling back as Jinx sat up.

"And you don't have purple hair. Come on; before Shimmer wakes up, and Gizmo discovers he has a hidden explosive somewhere!" She jumped to her feet, wincing slightly. "Kids, candy store, now."

Timmy ran forward towards Jinx, shortly followed by Teether, the attack already forgotten. Melvin stayed uncertainly by Bobby, and Raven walked over to them. "You weren't injured, where you?"

"Just a graze?" She muttered, twisting one of her elbows round to show Raven. "But it's okay."

"Go on. I think Jinx's going to buy you guys something. Me and Bob's got it covered."

"Is she okay?"

"Jinx? She's fine." Raven smiled. "I healed her."

Melvin didn't look comforted as she continued to watch Raven with wide eyes. "What would have happened if she hadn't have move me?"

"You probably would have been injured. Badly. But let's not worry about that. Go in with Jinx and get some candy before she comes back out." Raven didn't mention that she'd probably have to drag the woman out of that shop. Jinx had a notorious sweet tooth.

"Can I get Bobby something?"

"Sure."

* * *

><p><strong>Ages are; Melvin= 10 years, Timmy = 7 and Teether= 45. Didn't think too much on the ages, only that in the animation I would have put them at 5, 3, and 1 respectively. **

**The 'new' Hive Five line-up is based on DC's Fearsome Five (The Hive Five) Usual note that Shimmer is ****NOT**** based on the version that appeared in Young but on the Teen Titan's comic. Fun fact. Shimmer is the only original founder of the team that didn't appear in the animation, at all. **

**Note: I hate kids, personally. And as the youngest in my family are my cousins, which are very irritating and I avoid, I don't really have any bases for writing this with, but my own irritation from family holidays etc. Hence why it's so bad. My cousin is also 10 and going through the 'why' stage. Hence Melvin. **


	5. Chapter 5 Babysitting part 2

**Hey guys. Sorry about the delay in posting anything. I've been ill (again), I'm trying to catch up with college work, and my mood's been a little unstable (and I can't write if I'm in a bad mood) but I should have the next chapter of The Seven Sins up tonight :)**

**Reviews:**

**Random Peep: **Ahh sorry to hear that, hopefully its nothing too bad and that you get better soon. Anyways, loved this chapter, awesome job. Looking forward to the next chapter and hope you feel better soon. xD

_I won't know for three weeks. My doctor's fully booked and the one I got for the emergency appointment was crap, but such is life. Glad you liked it! _

**Tmj1395: **I like how Jinx is OCD. It's nice to think of an artist that isn't messy. I thought the kid's scenes were well done. I'm kinda a sucker for kids. Unless they're pure evil, I just can't hate them.

_After seeing her room in the animation episode 'Lightspeed' I've always thought she's got to have some kind of neatness OCD. That, and she just seems like the kinda person who would develop an OCD of some kind haha. I like kids sometimes, but if I'm not in the right frame of mind they just annoy the hell out of me haha. _

**Angelic Toaster: **_You got my reply via email, as you know :P_

**Spikesagitta: **Ok now this chapter I remember reading, finally back to familiar ground.

_Ahah! If you remember it, it must be good, no? Or terribly awful. One or the other. _

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Sweet tooth.:)

_With pink hair like that, she's bound to be haha. Actually, I take that back. I have bubblegum pink hair and I prefer savoury foods. Apart from on occasion._

* * *

><p>The front door closed, and the three kids looked at Jinx expectedly. Sure, she'd saved them but that didn't mean they suddenly got on perfectly, and she didn't really know how she was meant to entertain them for the hour or two that Raven would be out. They didn't exactly have any toys for them to play with, and all the games for the game-station were hers and waaay above their rating.<p>

_Maybe we could do some painting an'- nope. They'd kill my brushes, an' I don't own any cheap ones. Not that I brought them anyway. Heh._

She took a glance at the trio and Melvin spoke up. "Are we gonna do something, lady?"

"That's Jinx. J-I-N-X. And sure, I'm just tryin' to figure out that there is that you won't break."

_Cooking? Kids are meant to enjoy helpin' with that, right? And we'll get somethin' to eat at the end of it. Yum. No, if they managed to ruin one of my whisks or something... maybe..._

"I got it!" Jinx beamed, throwing one hand in the air to point at the ceiling. "You guys are into making stuff right? Like crafts and stuff?"

"Yeah. I mean, I guess so." Melvin nodded after glancing at the two boys. "Why, what are we going to do?"

"This is gonna sound kinda lame, but bare with me yeah? It's much more fun than it sounds. And perhaps you could make somethin' for someone. You seen those fancy bars of homemade soap right? Like, the different coloured things with decoration?"

The trio shook their head, and Jinx sighed, before motioning for them to stay where they were while she ran into the study. Pulling an almost overflowing wicker basket out from under the table, she carried it back into the main area and set it down on the kitchen breakfast bar. Raven had always been bugging the woman to start selling them over the internet. She started pulling out the small plastic wrapped, different shaped objects.

"Yummy!" Teether started to reach or one of the bars of soap, and Jinx whacked his hand, the gesture being returned with an insulted look from the smallest boy.

"You don't eat soap. Who the hell eats soap?"

"You're not meant to-"

"Yeah, well Rae isn't here, so who're you gonna tell?" The meta-human cut the blonde girl short, knowing exactly what she was going to threaten. "Anyways, I made these, see? You guys wanna have a go?"

Melvin stopped glowing at Jinx to pick up one of the small square of soap. It was dyed different hues of pink, with dried petals stuck on top. "This is pretty. But it doesn't look much like soap. Isn't soap meant to be while and oval?"

"General store stuff, yeah. But that's borin'. How about you guys all make yourself a bar to take with you back to the monastery? An' you can make it however you like."

"Really?" Timmy's face lit up. "Red and yellow!"

"Yeah, you can make it red an' yellow. Kinda clashes badly though, don't it?"

The boy ignored Jinx's comment – or didn't understand it, and she turned to look at the eldest.

"You put these back in the basket for me. I'll go fetch the stuff."

* * *

><p>"This doesn't look much like soap." Melvin complained as she looked at the pink liquid Jinx had just poured into the mould for her.<p>

"It's not done yet." Jinx shook her head. "It's gotta set, then we pop it out the mould and wrap it. "You gonna add anything else to that?"

"Can I put glitter in it?"

"Sure, but you do realise you'll like, come out all glittery every time you wash, right?"

The girl's eyes grew like saucepans. "Really?"

"Right, of course. You're ten. What ten year old girl isn't attracted to glitter? Okay, but don't put too much in yeah? Like, one teaspoon should be enough." She fished out a small bag of fine silver glitter, passing it to the girl. Before looking at the two boys. "Timmy, go fetch yours out of the fridge. I think we can put the second layer on now. Decided on a colour yet Teether?"

The smallest boy nodded. "Blue."

She moved over so she was stood next to the stool he was in. "Alright then. Melvin, when you're done, carefully put it in the fridge. Carefully because Raven would skin me alive if you got burnt. The sooner we get this done and put to set, the sooner we can make cookies." Jinx grinned, the announcement met by yells of excitement.

* * *

><p>Raven frowned as she heard Jinx slowly open the door, managing to wake the empath up despite her efforts at being quiet. She waited until Jinx had closed the door before she let the woman know she was awake.<p>

"You're late." She opened her eyes, smirking as she watched Jinx freeze, before she sighed and walked further into the room, stripping and neatly hanging up her jeans before throwing everything else into the dirty clothes hamper.

"Sorry. I've literally just run round most of the city trying to lose these guys." She started to pull back the covers, but Raven stopped her.

"Nightwear. The kids are still in the habit of running in first thing in a morning, and that is the last thing they need to see."

Raven could see Jinx's grin in the dark from what little light seeped through the curtains from nearby streetlights. "I can put them on later."

She dropped the corner of the duvet Raven had stopped her from lifting and crawled on top of it instead, quickly ducking her head to capture Raven's lips in a kiss.

Raven pushed Jinx off her. "No. What if they wake up?"

"Raven's it's three in the morning. They're fast asleep."

"Three in the morning? Jinx, you left at six! You're telling me you've been gone for nine hours?" Raven whispered furiously. "What happened to this being a 'quick job'? No. Definitely not."

"But Rae-"

The violet haired woman rolled onto her side so she was facing away from her. "Good night, Jinx." She listened to the villainess roll off the bed and stomp around the room, pulling on her 'nightwear' while muttering under her breath.

She climb into the bed, trying to disturb Raven as much as was humanely possible without touching her, still muttering. Raven smirked slightly as she closed her eyes, waiting until Jinx had stilled before rolling to face her, moving up so she could drape her arm over the woman's thin waist.

"You're too cruel." Jinx murmured, too tired to bother trying to make herself more audible.

"Hmmm. Perhaps it'll teach you to stop coming back so late."

* * *

><p>"I'm going out!" Jinx called from the front door, and Raven stuck her head round the corner.<p>

"You'd better not be as late as you were last time." The demon halfling glared.

"Three hours max. Promise. There's a film on TV tonight, and I wanna be back in time to watch it."

"That's fine – come back for the film." Raven huffed. "Whatever."

Jinx grinned. "Good. I wouldn't want it to upset you. Love you, Rae."

"No you don't. You love the TV. Go on – you'll be late." She watch Jinx laugh and close the door behind her, before she moved back round to where the kids were sat, watching TV, an evil glint in her purple eyes. "Hey kids, who wants to do some painting? We've got some stuff in the office."

All three children nodded enthusiastically and jumped to their feet, following Raven.

* * *

><p>"Oooh do I smell pizza?" Jinx asked as she walked into the kitchen , throwing aside her backpack and walking up to the counter.<p>

"The kids were hungry and you were out." Raven shrugged. "And you were three and a half hours."

"Forgive me? I knew I was gonna be late so I pre-planned." The meta-human grinned, hopping up onto the counter and taking a bite. "There's something in that bag for you."

"Jinx, you know how I feel about that." Raven quickly frowned.

"No no no! I brought it!" Jinx defended herself before adding, "With today's pay check."

"Jinx-"

"Nope. Don't moan until you've seen it. Even you won't send it back after you've seen it. You've had your eyes on it for ages." Raven sighed but dropped it, and Jinx looked at the three kids. "So, what you guys done today?"

"Some painting." Melvin grinned. "You wanna see?"

"You didn't." Her pink cat eyes moved back to Raven. "Tell me you didn't." She wasn't comforted by Raven's smile. She slipped off the counter top and made her way towards the office, quickly stepping inside. "You didn't even put it back right!"

"We tidied up after ourselves." Raven shrugged, still smiling.

"But this doesn't go there! And you don't put that upside down! And what the hell is that? That does not go there. Ever. Urgh! I can't find anything!"

"Ooh Raven's in trouble." Timmy smirked.

"Calm down Jinx." Raven chuckled. "It's all in there, more or less in the same place."

"Calm down?" Jinx's head appeared out of the doorway, her eyes wide. "Have you _seen_ it? That's it. I'm taking that book back."

"Book?" She asked curiously, pulling the bag towards her with her dark energy.

"This is taking it too far! You already got me back for being late last night. This was unnecessary."

"Last night wasn't getting you back. That-" She nodded towards the office, "-Was." She pulled out a thick old looking book from the bag, her face lighting up. "Jinx, but this was expensive!"

"I know. That's why you refused to buy it. But I'm taking it back."

"No you're not."

"You're going to stop me?"

"Jinx I beat you for years fighting. What makes you think I can't beat you now?"

"Because you're out of the business. You've probably lost your edge."

"You wish." Raven smirked, flipping the old item open to the first few pages, Melvin, Timmy and Teether trying to read over her shoulder.

"What kinda language is that supposed to be?" Melvin scowled. "I can't read that..."

"That's because it isn't English. It's Latin."

"You can read Latin?" She asked, sounding impressed.

"Mmhmm."

"She won't be able to when I take that back. It's going to take me HOURS to sort this out!"

"You'd better get started then." Raven replied distractedly.

"You- You're lucky they're here, or by god I'd have killed you by now."

"You would have tried. I'll put the pizza in the fridge so you can get them when you're finished in there."

"You bloody do that!"

* * *

><p>Jinx rested her head on Raven's shoulder, closing her eyes as Raven gently ran her fingers through the girl's bubblegum pink hair.<p>

"That was way too predictable." Jinx stifled a yawn, her eyes still closed.

Raven laughed slightly. "Most horrors are. Right, you made me stay up to watch it. Can I go to bed now? Please?"

"Maybe." Jinx smiled, lifting her head off Raven's shoulder to replaces it with her arms, lightly kissing the woman.

"Raven?"

Both women flinched at the sound of the voice, and Raven shoved Jinx away from her, blushing slightly as she turned to look at the blonde girl, who looked confused to say the least.

"I thought you and Jinx were just friends."

"What do you want Melvin?"

"Can I have a glass of water, please?" Raven nodded, getting to her feet and walking into the kitchen. "I thought girls were meant to kiss boys." The girl frowned.

"I am a guy." Jinx answered quickly before Raven could, earning an exasperated look from her girlfriend.

Melvin's frown deepened. "No you're not."

Jinx shrugged, and got to her feet. "Oh well. It was worth a shot. I'm going to bed." Raven silently cursed her girlfriend, passing Melvin the glass of water.

"Raven, why were you kissing her?"

"I'll explain when you're older." Raven shook her head. "Now go back to bed, or you won't get up tomorrow." She watched Melvin nod and walk back into the spare room before teleporting into the main bedroom, making Jinx jump slightly. "Floor. Now."

"But Raven, the kids might hear." Jinx grinned as she made to climb into the bed, only for Raven to shove her off and throw a pillow at her. "Come on, you handled it fine without me!" The empath didn't reply as she got ready for bed, purposely leaving her clothes over the floor to annoy Jinx before climbing onto the king sized mattress and closing her eyes. "You're a terrible girlfriend." Jinx muttered from on the floor.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: My muse came up with this while I was shopping for art materials. The outline was actually scribbled down on the back of an old receipt. **

**Usually, I would have told him to fuck off until a more convenient time – like when I had a notepad on me – but after he disappeared for four+ hours the night before and didn't re-appear until about 2pm today (like, actually completely vanished) so I embraced him with a mental hug (and somewhat strangled him as I cried with happiness), dug out a pen and got to work in the middle of the shop. **

**I never realised how much my muse was always on the go until he vanished. I missed him. A lot. I can now say I'm nothing without him, and I'm not sure how un-creative people survive. **

* * *

><p><strong>Edit: If you want another chapter of this thing, let me know in the reviews and I'll pop one out sooner or later. <strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Reviews:**

**Angelic Toaster: **Oh, that was just too cute! Haha, they've been dicovered ;D

_Yeah… awkward times. Even more awkward if Melvin starts asking the Monks why the two women were sharing a little love xD_

**FrozenDroid: **asdfdsa, of course I'd like some more of these! They're awesome!

_Taking a short break in the Babysitting ark, but I'm glad you like!_

**Concolor44: **That was great! "You're a terrible girlfriend." Yeah, maybe, but that's part of Raven's charm, isn't it? She keeps Jinx on her toes. And vice versa.  
>I can't wait for Raven's explanation to Melvin about why she was kissing Jinx!<p>

_I don't think those two will ever become bored of each other, that's for sure. _

**Random Peep: **Lol too cute. Looking forward to see what happens! And that's too bad about having to wait so long for answers about what's going on with your own body. But yea, hope you start to feel better soon! =P

_Glad you like! And I know that was a while ago, but is it still bad I haven't gotten answers? And my trips to the Doctors has increased since then xD_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE another chapter. T.T

_I'll churn one out after this little update :)_

**Tmj1395: **hehe Red and yellow don't go together, was that a referance to Kid Flash? Poor Jinx, I'm sure she's used to the floor by now.

_It was… in sorts xD I couldn't help myself. Though the kid did wear red and yellow in his animation appearance. And ahah, more than likely. _

**bored-piper: **wow. thats kind of freaky, 'cause something quiet similar, to melvin walking in on raven, happened to me and my gf(with my 4yr old cousin)

_Ahah, try having your two cousins (ten and six) constantly asking why you don't have a boyfriend and "Don't you want to kiss boys?" Then the awkward moment when you make a sly reference about your preferences and your Uncle (who you hadn't officially come out to) picks it up and starts laughing. _

**Dragoncatcher123: **I totally think you should do another chapter :D

_I'll see if I can get one written after this :)_

* * *

><p><strong>Long time, no update, I know. Anyway, I'm taking a break from the baby-sitting ark for a bit. Sort of. <strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Inevitable is the toaster dying when you need it most, or our little stunt on the battlefield three years ago. Baby sitting is not inevitable." <em>_**–Jinx, (Domestic Dispositions, chpt 4)**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

Being completely aware of your surroundings, even with a limited range of sight, is a valuable skill, especially when you spend a lot of your time in fights. Raven already had a head start, if it was people or animals she had to be aware of, because of her empathy.

It was that natural talent - which in time Robin's training had turned into a skill – that told her to duck, moments before an air born Beast Boy flew above her, obviously a result of some attack, considering he was in his human form. The empath straightened up in time to see the small, white fist travelling towards her face. She blocked Jinx's punch with her arm, the deep throb letting Raven know she was going to bruise.

Knocking the arm to the side, Raven stepped into the villain and went to sweep Jinx's legs out from underneath her, only for Jinx to counter the move, forcing Raven back a few steps as the demon halfling fought to regain her balance. Jinx followed her, throwing another punch, this one aiming for – and connecting with – the bottom of Raven's jaw, before she yanked the empath's hood over her eyes and danced behind the girl. The thief had started to move to kick the back of Raven's knee, but Raven's reactions were faster, and she spun around, lifting her foot up into a kick that connected with the side of Jinx's chest.

The meta human fought for breath, doubling up as a sharp pain travelled across her ribcage. Raven took the chance and tackled Jinx to the ground, grabbing one of the girl's wrists, in the process of pulling it behind Jinx's back when the girl retaliated, slamming her bony elbow into Raven's stomach. She rolled over as Raven's grip loosened, using nothing but brute strength as she pushed on the empath's shoulder, knocking the girl's supporting arm out from underneath her and moved so she had the titan pinned with her body weight, not bothering with any particular technique.

"You'd think… after several years of fighting… one of us would have taken the initiative… to learn some proper technique." Jinx chuckled, tightening her grip on Raven's wrists as she shifted slightly, straddling the empath's waist so she'd have better grounding in case Raven suddenly tried to throw her off.

Raven smiled slightly in spite of herself. "Why bother? We both know each other's strengths are always going to be long ranged attacks." She relaxed her body as she took the chance to catch her breath.

Although during the first few years fights between the two teams had been fuelled by hatred and a sense of pride, as the years passed it turned into a feeling of neutral, if not somewhat friendly, respect between the Teen Titans and the Hive. Not because of what each team was about, but because of their skill, and the familiarity of fighting each other. Ongoing conversation between teams wasn't all that rare during a fight.

"Strange, isn't it? How both of us prefer to fight from a distance, yet our own little fights always end up with hand-to-hand combat."

Raven stopped watching Mammoth and Starfire to look at Jinx. She tugged on her pinned arms slightly, a subconscious action as her body reminded her she was being pinned down by a villain. "Yeah… strange."

Jinx watched the empath for a few more seconds before she ducked her head, and kissed the Titan. As expected, Raven's initial response was to flip a nearby counter as her surprise got the better of her powers, though when Jinx pulled back, the empath leaned up to close that gap again, her left hand moving to hold the base of Jinx's head and her right going to rest at the small of the thief's back as Jinx let go of Raven's wrists.

* * *

><p>Beast Boy noticed the two girls first, wordlessly pointing them out to his best friend as his shock rendered him speechless.<p>

"Well…" Cyborg cleared his throat, almost as lost for words as the changeling was. "If Robin sees, she is so dead."

The two boys were brought back into the fight as Mammoth charged at them. Cyborg rolled out of the way, while Beast Boy took to the air as a humming bird, quickly shifting back as he caught sight of their leader. "I think Robin's already seen."

* * *

><p>"We should do this more often." Jinx grinned as she pulled back, cheeks flushed slightly. "It's definitely beats fighting."<p>

The smile vanished from Jinx's face as someone practically threw the girl aside and off Raven by the neck of her outfit. Raven couldn't help but laugh slightly at the expression on the Hive leader's face, even knowing that the meta human wouldn't be the only one in trouble as her gaze fell on her own leader; the person who had thrown Jinx to the side.


	7. Chapter 7

**Reviews:**

**Angelic Toaster: **Okay, that is brilliance (though I'm sure I've read a version like it before, can't for the life of me remember where...)! So funny... The perfect one-shot.

_Ahah thanks. It MAYBE it could be because the way Jinx attracted Rae's attention in Friday 13th was fairly similar? _

**Concolor44:**The primary (and secondary ... and tertiary) reaction to the above scene?  
>... oopsie ...<br>Yeah, Robin's sense of humor (never terribly keen even under the best of circumstances, which these aren't) is definitely going AWOL. Tough to say who he'll come down on harder.  
>Heehee.<p>

_Yeah, oops just about describes that xD. Somehow I don't think it'll be Jinx! I mean, she's the bad guy – bad guys are expected to do what the fuck they want. Of course, it all comes down to whether Robin saw Raven go in for that second kiss or not… hmmm…_

**Silently Watching: **You know, I had been wondering how they got together in the baby-sitting story. This certainly answers the question; Jinx was right, that WAS inevitable!  
>And Robin, do us all a favor and FUCK OFF! You just love writing him as a killjoy, don't you? : )<br>Silently Watching out.

_Ahah, I had been wondering too. I love my muse sometimes. As for Robin…. I don't know how to put this. I don't DISLIKE him, I've just always thought – ever since watching The Beast episode that he's too harsh on them when they do slip up. I mean the only one he's had a go at all of the guys in the animation when they did something wrong. Raven and Starfire seemed to avoid his wrath. I'm just… doing BB and Cy a favour by spreading the hate xD_

**Spikesagitta: **I always wondered how they first started in this story! Now I know :)

_Now you do! You'll get to know a bit more after this :)_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Fluffy puppy love! There should definitely be more of that. :)

_Ahah, I suppose you might count this coming addition as some fluff…. Maybe?_

**Hollowmist: **That was so wonderful. Are we going to get something from Robins POV after he  
>saw that? Please update soon!<p>

_Oooh! I didn't think about that, but but but I could do something to nicely fit in after this chapter… I could indeed. Many thanks for that little inspiration bubble. _

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><p><strong>Okay, so sort of carrying on from the previous chapter, this is a POV from Jinx. Oh, and I had my first Soya Latte today as a result of my newest medical condition; I highly recommend you all go out and try one, it was a hell of a lot nicer than I was expecting it to be. <strong>

* * *

><p>We never were plannin' on it bein' serious, you know? That first kiss was more about curiosity than anythin' else. Even if it was during fights, Rae an' I'd been in quite a few… compromising situations over the years. That kinda thing builds up.<p>

Anyway Rae was the last person I expected to be okay with just havin' fun, but every fight after that just seemed to be some giant flirtin' fest. An' I was cool with that; I mean, who wouldn't be? It made our battles that much more entertaining, even if I didn't come out of them any better off for it. I was quick to learn that Rae didn't go easy on no-one, no matter what the circumstances, and that's perhaps where everything started to go wrong.

We started 'accidently' bumpin' into each other around Jump. Boy Blunder wasn't oblivious to that; I knew he wasn't and Rae started to get some stick for it, but she didn't lose her place on the team. For several months this continued, an' it was still nothing more than two girls havin' a bit of fun, you know? Then I slipped up. We'd rented a room in some out of the way place for a night, an' I was tired, so at first I didn't realise my slip up. I'd called her my 'girlfriend'. Rae, obviously, had to pick up on it.

She just kinda went weird and froze up, and I kinda realised then that it was the whole casual thing she'd kinda been depending on, which was weird, since I'd taken her to be a really serious type of person. Okay, so it's not that weird now, knowing what I do 'bout her.

She'd asked what I'd meant by callin' her my 'girlfriend', and I'd automatically said 'nothing'. But by that time – as in within the minute or two it took her to speak – I wasn't so sure. Ya' see, Rae kept me on my toes and I liked that, I liked that a lot, seeing as I'm usually one to get bored real easy. And I started to realise I liked _her a_ hell of a lot.

I didn' know back then that Rae was an empath; didn't know that she'd picked up on all this during the short time it took me to answer. With hindsight, I'm bloody glad she did, because I never would 'ave admitted it to her.

She was quick to leave after that, and I didn' see her for a few weeks, even durin' fights between the Hive and the Titans. Boy Blunder kept throwin' me dodgy looks, an' the rest of her team didn't seem too happy. I was worried my stupid mouth had fucked it all up, to the point where my fightin' became sloppy, an' even Giz and Mammoth had a word with me.

Anyway, durin' a heist at one of Jump's larger banks, Rae appeared with them, an' she targeted me like she hadn't been missin' for several weeks. I was relieved… but I was also panicking. I mean, would she bring it up? Even worse, would she go back to treating me like every other villain she had to fight? She didn't give me any hints, not until she had me pinned, anyway.

She sat and stared at me, which was kinda freaky. Rae's the queen at staring people down – she didn't blink once, and I started to feel like a mouse, trying to stare down a snake. A big, poisonous snake that thought I looked pretty tasty. She still gives me those looks now, but let's just say I'm used to them, and it usually means somethin' very good is about to happen.

I'm not sure if Robin noticed the fact that we weren't beatin' each other up, but if he did, he didn't do anythin' which confused me, and made me wonder exactly what she'd told her leader during her disappearance, if she said anything at all. Usually he'd try to intervene; attack me so I had to move my focus.

So, eventually she leaned down, her lips almost touching my ear when she finally whispered, "Being your girlfriend might not be… so bad."

I'm not gonna lie, my damned heart did some funky summersault at those words, and if it weren't for the audience… however I was also pissed. Like I said, I didn' know she was an empath back then, so I didn't understand why she had the guts to sound so confident, and that confidence irritated the fuck out of me. So I was torn between two reactions; accepting the comment for what it was and forgetting I was meant to be fighting, or hitting her, hard. Needless to say which one I went for. I didn't win the fight, but it made me feel better. Rae seemed amused by it too, so the childish antic didn't exactly get me into any trouble. An' that's how it pretty much continued. Can't say either of us made it easy for the other – we still don't now – but that's what made it so fun.

Then Robin kicked her off the team a year later, when he realised datin' me wasn't just a phase Rae was passing through. She started rentin' out an apartment, and I slowly started to move in. Then things got way to serious for me when she told me there was somethin' about her I really needed to know, especially since she no longer had the titans at her back. An' that scared the fuck out of me. It also made me realise why Rae had been so content at the beginning, when there had been no commitment.

She told me about her daddy-dearest, about what that did to her own biology, and what could happen if somethin' went wrong. An' what I should do if somethin' _did _go wrong and I was still alive to react. Even after we 'officially' started datin', it had all still seemed a game. After this though, even when we were just messin' about and testin' each other, the undercurrent was still there. Or maybe that was just me. I mean, how often does someone turn round to their girlfriend an' say she's a demon? Okay, half demon, but still! I gotta say, it kinda scared me off for a while. Especially after some of what she told me, but it did explain why she has so much stamina…

Anyway, I avoided her for perhaps a week, which made a huge difference since I'd been around most nights before that, an' I know it upset her, but hey, I consider it pay back to what she'd done to me the year before. I needed to come to terms with the fact I was sleepin' with someone who was mostly a carnivore. Someone who could easily crush my bones, or rip through my skin, by accident. Who, on occasion, would 'sleep walk', though it wasn't so much sleep walking as having one of her… uh, what did she call 'em? Emoti-clones. That's it; havin' one of her emoti-clones takin' over for a few hours when the control of her body was more relaxed. She also told me that if that certain emoti-clone gave her four eyes and a sadistic personality, I was to get my butt out of there and find the Titans. Like I said; scary stuff.

'Kay, so maybe I did meet that specific aspect of Rae's personality the night after we'd had a pretty bad argument, but she wasn't that scary… okay, she was scary as shit, an' treated me more like I was her property than her girlfriend, but she didn' _hurt_ me exactly, an' she didn't seem interested in going after anyone else. Gotta say that eased my mind about the whole demon thing. Oh, I still know she could flip at any second and rip my throat out, but I wasn't afraid of teasin' and pushing her so much, an' our relationship went back to how it'd been before, minus the few new nicknames I gave her.

To say this wasn't how I expected things to turn out when I first kissed her is a serious understatement.

Not that I'm complainin'…


	8. Chapter 8

**Reviews:**

**Angelic Toaster: **I like it, a sincere look into Jinx's mind. :D  
>And about the thing with the last chapter: I'm not sure, but it is a good guess that it had something to do with Friday 13th :D<br>More soon please?

_I'm glad you liked it! Ahah if it's not, I have NO idea then xD I tend to write fanfiction more than I read it!_

**Spikesagitta**: Fighting each other are like first dates for them huh? Heh! Jinx did take Raven being a demon rather well :) So the rest will be the beginning of their new life?

_Apparently! There's might be some of that, but overall it's pretty much just going to be random one-shots :)_

**Concolor44:** Oh My Stars, this is So Completely Jinx! That's HER! Right there on the page!  
>So many great lines! "... but she wasn't that scary… okay, she was scary as shit, an' treated me more like I was her property than her girlfriend ..." I can HEAR her say that!<br>Super sweet chapter, in just about every connotation you can come up with.

_Ahah! Glad you liked. Wanna know a secret though? Minus some slang, most of this was just me writing how I talk when I'm on a caffeine high, or like when someone mentions something I really like (for example TT) and I get the urge to info dump. I just went back at the end, changed a few words, added some better 'slang' and BAM. So, I am VERY happy to hear that you think it, well, sounded like Jinx! I was worried it wouldn't work!_

**Silently Watching:** That's Jinx, jump right in head-first. I wonder if Raven also told her that she could crush her or rip her up whenever she felt an extreme emotion? That would have probably stopped any bedroom fun then and there...  
>Silently Watching out.<p>

_xD See my reply for the review above ;) Will tell you how I wrote it. Otherwise... well, you've intrigued me now! I wonder..._

**I'm a Lover not a Hater:** So many doubts, so many great surprises.

_The best things are always worth the hassle :)_

**greenbloodwolf:** Love it. Each and every one. (Ok not the last one but that's a story for a different time) was rolling during the children's ark only thing I'd say is raven seemed a bit too cruel. Don't let my opinions change your stories, there great can't wait for more  
>A faithful reader<br>-GBW

_Good! But... oh? Care to explain why? Send it in a PM if you want; I really am intrigued as to why you didn't like it - knowing stuff like that, well it helps me adapt my writing so it's that bit better for everyone :) Ahah Raven __**is**__ cruel... it's like how she is with BB in the animation, and in the comics now I think about it. She probably sees it as nothing more than a pit of playground teasing; that thing all boys do to girls in first grade (year one in the UK), you know, tug on her ponytail or something xD But then everyone has their own individual perception on each character and as far as I'm concerned, that's what makes them so intriguing AND fun to write with!_

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><p><strong>Again, this is going away from the baby sitting ark. Isn't really related to anything apart from the fact it's JinxRae. Got the inspiration for it while I was sat babysitting my friend at the hospital last night. When I wasn't looking after her, or keeping one of the old ladies on the ward company, I was writing this. Needless to say I didn't get any sleep last night.**

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><p>She hated hospitals. Most people did; but then most people didn't get a police escort. Jinx still couldn't believe how careless she'd been, letting herself become backed up against that window, her frustration cutting through some of the pain of her wound. Not that it really hurt now they'd given her a dose of morphine. Jinx didn't like morphine, either. It was too trippy; not to mention the fact anything that had been in her stomach refused to stay there. She would have preferred to deal with the pain, but she didn't really get a choice, being the dangerous patient and all that. Being submitted into a hospital meant you'd been trapped, good and proper. She'd tried escaping before, and that hadn't ended well at all, being reluctant to use her powers thanks to all the machinery that could often be found keeping a patient alive. Jinx was a thief, not a murderer.<p>

She watched the boots of the cop standing on guard move under the gap of the curtain as he fidgeted, probably as bored as she was. She pulled the thin blankets down to her hips and poked at the bandages layered across her stomach, her gut doing small little jumps as it tried to react to the pain she wasn't feeling. It felt uncomfortable enough that she stopped, dropping her head back onto her pillow as she sighed, going back to watching her guard's feet through the gap in the curtains.

Hearing footsteps coming her way, she perked up slightly, hoping it was one of the nurses bringing round the dinners. Jinx knew her stomach wouldn't handle the food - it wasn't the first time she'd been on morphine, and probably wouldn't be the last - but she was willing to try anyway, never one to turn away food. Jinx frowned slightly as the cop started talking to whoever she'd heard walking over.

"Sorry Miss, but I'm afraid you can't go behind this curtain; she's a-"

"I know who she is."

The meta human instantly recognised the voice, and sat up, ignoring the weird tugging sensation in her stomach. "Raven?"

"The desk has cleared me, and if it's my safety you're worried about, I can assure you I will be more than fine; I am a former Teen Titan." The woman continued, even though Jinx knew she'd heard her.

"I'm sorry, but I've been given specific orders that... ma'am you can't... ignoring a police officer is an offence and-"

"Save it for when a real problem comes along." The empath told the cop and she stepped inside the curtain, pulling it fully shut behind her before turning to face the woman on the bed. She smiled slightly, though it didn't hide the lines of worry around her eyes. "You were caught." She kept her voice light, and somewhat amused.

"Thanks for informin' me of that; I hadn't noticed." Jinx replied.

Raven moved round the side of the bed so she was stood near the top of the bed. "How badly are you injured?"

"Who said anythin' about bein' injured. Didn't you know this is a prime holiday location?"

"Very funny. How bad?"

"Bad enough." Jinx shrugged, raising the hospital gown high enough to show the bandages around her stomach. "Doctor's patched me up though."

The former titan kneeled down and took hold of one of Jinx's hands, her voice so quiet the meta human only just heard her. "I could heal it for you."

"An' how am I meant to explain that to the doctors?"

"It'd get you out of the hospital quicker."

"Yeah, an' straight into jail. Just leave it Rae; it's just a surface wound." Jinx offered the woman a smile.

"Surface wound my ass. I know from experience it takes a lot more than a surface wound to take you out."

"Ah well, it was worth a try. Like I said, they patched me up. I made a stupid mistake. A rookie mistake, as much as I hate to admit it. I... kinda got knocked onto a broken window frame. Next thing I knew, I'd been staked like somethin' out'a vampire film, only it was glass, not wood. An' it obviously didn't go through my heart cause ya' know, that might have made a bit more mess. Cut me better than any knife could, that's for sure."

Raven closed her eyes as her whole face contorted into something of a frown, trying to keep her emotions from destroying any of the hospital's equipment, her grip on the woman's hand tightening slightly. "Damn it Jinx! You need to be more careful! You're lucky it _wasn't_ your heart that got skewered, or some other vital organ." She glanced at the bandages, before looking back at Jinx. "I could heal it slightly; nothing that they'd easily notice, but enough to make you more comfortable."

"Honey, they're keepin' me drugged up on the morphine anyway. Now, if you could heal the sick feeling, be my guest. Besides, I never said anythin' about being uncomfortable."

"You didn't have to - empath, remember?"

"That's cheatin'." The meta human muttered. "Nice ta know you care, though. What _did_ you tell the guys at the reception desk?"

"That not only was I coming to visit as your girlfriend - which she didn't look too impressed about - I was also acting on behalf of the Titans to make sure you're keeping your nose out of trouble."

"You lied!" Jinx grinned. "Just to see little ol' me?"

The empath didn't look so amused. "I didn't know what I was coming to see. All I got was a call off Cyborg saying you'd been injured during a fight, and you were on your way to the hospital."

"Chillax girl; I'm fine, obviously."

"You're going to give me a heart attack, one of these days." Raven scowled. "And what's worse is it's something I could heal in seconds, and I can't do anything but..." She pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand.

The meta human moved to cup the side of Raven's face, wincing as the needle taped into her arm tugged under her skin. "Rae, seriously, calm down. It's not even that serious; from what I can gather, I'll be here a few days so they can make sure everythin's stable, then they're shipping me off to the penitentiary and their medical ward. After that, give it maybe a few weeks, an' I might have enough strength to bust my ass outa there. Now calm down before your emotions bugger up some equipment."

"You do remember there is a police officer practically leaning against the curtain, right? Talking about your plans of escape is probably not the best idea."

"He's a police officer, not a prison guard. Who cares?" Jinx grinned. "Listenin' to villains talk about their escape plans is waay normal when you compare to the fact he just got walked all over by an ex-titan who's livin' with one of the bad guys. Then he gets to listen to us talkin' about 'im even though we know he can hear us. Escapes plans are definitely more normal than any of that. It's more entertainin' anyway, as far as I'm concerned. Was bored as a brick before you got 'ere. No one will talk to me."

"That tends to happen when you're a super villain." Raven shook her head, leaning slightly into the hand Jinx was still holding against her cheek.

"How long you stayin' for?"

She shrugged. "As long as you want me to stay here for."

"Really?"

"Mhmm."

"Even if like, that's not until they move me to the prison? I mean, you can come with then too, but ya' know, protocols and all that shit."

"I'm pretty sure the nurse will try and kick me out when visitor hours are over, but I'll teleport back in; bozo here isn't going to do anything about it." Raven shrugged, motioning towards the curtain near where the cop was stood. "However you know my standing on prison visits. I might pop down once - but only because you're injured."

"Why's visiting me in prison any different from this? Everyone at the station's gonna know you were here, once this guy's shift is over." Jinx frowned.

"Because my presence will upset some of the in mates. I have put most of them behind bars at some point. It's best not to aggravate them."

"Point. I didn' think about that." Jinx pouted slightly. She moved her hand from the side of Raven's face and patted the mattress next to her as she shimmied over. "Might as well get comfortable if you're gonna be kind enough to keep me company."

"To get moaned at by the nurse when they come to check on you?"

"Duh; that's half the fun. You know you like gettin' on people's nerves, and don't pretend you don't."

The empath smiled slightly. "I swear, you must be the world's worst patient. I think I actually feel sorry for the staff covering this ward."

"I _am_ meant to be some super villain; I can't just sit here quietly and keep to all the rules, can I?"

"You're also meant to be injured. Injured people aren't meant to do much but sit in pain. They're not meant to be thinking of the best ways to piss off people." Raven tugged some of the creases out of the blankets before she sat on top of them, kicking her boots off and swinging her legs up, getting comfortable.

"Well, that way I have somethin' to think about besides the hole in my stomach." Jinx was quick to leave her pillow for Raven, putting her right arm - her arm with the IV drip attached to it - over Raven's waist, making sure there was nothing that would catch the tube or cause her more discomfort.

"Let me know if the pain starts up again, and I'll go find a nurse, since you won't let me do anything." Raven murmured, resting her chin on top of the woman's head, absently running her fingers through Jinx's cotton-candy pink hair. "And try to get some sleep."

"I can't sleep in hospitals. They creep me the fuck out."

"I'm not going to move, Jinx. Besides, I'm _way_ creepier than anything in this hospital."

The meta human laughed at that. "Promise you're not just gonna up and leave as soon as I'm asleep?"

"I promise."

"If you're lyin'..."

"I'm not. If someone asks me to move, I'll wake you up first."

"'Kay." Jinx yawned, wincing as someone pressed the call button next to their bed, the loud bleeping noise filling the ward. "Not that sleep is even possible here. Damn noises."

"I _can_ help with that, if you want."

"No way. You know how I feel about all that weird mind shit."

"I was just offering." Raven muttered. "I'm only trying to help."

"I know. Just... if I'm not asleep within an hour, think we can convince bozo to let me go for a walk or somethin'? Bit of fresh air might help. This place stinks real bad."

"In an hour."

"You gonna keep track?"

"Mhmm. Now shut up. You won't get to sleep if you keep talking."

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><p>Raven lifted her eyes up to the curtain as she felt a familiar energy enter the room, her eyes narrowing as she glanced down at Jinx to find the meta human fast asleep. Someone pulled the curtains apart and Robin stepped through, pausing when he saw the empath, his gaze hardening.<p>

He closed the curtain behind him, Raven feeling the waves of apprehension rolling off him. "I need to question her in regards to the tempted robbery earlier today."

"You can ask her once she's been admitted to Jump Penitentiary. She's in the hospital for a reason, and it isn't so you can shove a load of questions at her."

"That isn't for you to decide."

Raven didn't budge as she continued to stare at her former leader. "It won't kill you to come back later. She's not going anywhere."

"And you expect me to take your word for it?"

"I'm not a Titan any more, but that doesn't mean I'm any sort of criminal either. I've kept my nose clean, and I'm going to continue to do so, so if you're insinuating I would perhaps teleport Jinx out of here, you can think again."

"The sooner you wake her up, the sooner we can get this over with." Robin told her, his jaw clenched with irritation. He hadn't been expecting to run into the empath, and didn't like it one bit.

"She's drugged up on morphine and apparently has a hole in her stomach; she needs to heal. If it's bad enough that Cyborg called me to inform me about what had happened, it's bad enough that the _last_ thing she needs is you interrogating her."

"Cyborg called you?"

"Yes. Now, I suggest you back off, before I _make_ you." Raven threatened in a low voice.

"Attacking me would be considered a criminal offence, Raven."

She resisted the urge to choke Robin and pressed the call button, continuing to glare at him as she waited for one of the nurses to make her way over. "Then I'll do this the proper way. Criminal or not, Jinx's health is the priority of the nurses and doctors working on the ward, and I _know_ they'll tell you to get out."

"Why are you making this so bloody difficult?"

"Difficult? Robin, it has _never_ been protocol to question criminals and suspects until they are fit for such. This-" she motioned generally at Jinx, "-does not qualify as fit for questioning. At least wait until tomorrow for Azar's sake!"

She felt Jinx fidget and mentally cursed as the woman tried to sit up, rubbing at her eyes with one hand. "Why's it got so noisy all of a sudden?" She looked up, blinking a couple of times as she caught sight of Robin. "Oh."

"Well, now that you're awake..." He glared at Raven a moment longer before turning to look at Jinx. "We might as well-"

Jinx cut him short as she suddenly bent forward, making a weird, almost strangled noise. Raven didn't have to ask what was wrong, able to feel a ghost of the sudden jab of pain that had travelled through the meta human thanks to her empathy. She moved to her knees and supported the woman, one hand moving to hold her shoulder, the other going across the bottom of Jinx's ribs.

"Honey, you need to try and lay back; putting pressure on the wound like that _isn't_ going to help; trust me."

"A nurse... would be great right now." The villain gasped. "Think the pain... killers worn off."

"I've hit the call button; someone should be coming." She helped Jinx lay back down, before looking at Robin. "Can you just go away, _please_?"

"Rae..."

"I know, Jinx; just hang in there for a minute." She watched Robin duck out the curtain without saying anything, and turned her attention back on to the meta human. "Someone's going to be along in a minute."

"I'd forgotten it hurt this much." Jinx muttered with a slightly laugh, turning to press her face into Raven's shoulder, biting her lip as another sharp stab of pain travelled through her.

Raven went back to running her fingers through the woman's hair, her other hand helping to support Jinx, feeling utterly useless. "It's one of the reasons why I hate pain killers." She saw the curtain move as someone pulled it back, and smiled slightly. "Nurse is here, Jinx."

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><p><strong>Yup, I'm finishing it there, but you guys all know the drill, Jinx gets well enough to be moved to Jump Penitentiary, then gets well enough to break out. Robin will ask her about the robbery at some point blah blah. ;) Don't forget to drop a review to let me know what you thought! Oh, and I apologise for any spelling mistakes; I'm been awake for more than 24 hours at this point, and it doesn't do anything for spelling abilities! <strong>


	9. Chapter 9 Babysitting part 3

**Reviews:**

**Angelic Toaster: **Is your friend alright, the one in the hospital? The chapter is wonderful, if not sad.

_Gah, haven't updated this in so long. She okay – they found out what was causing her the pain and she's got to go in for an operation soon (NHS Healthcare. Taking the piss in treating you) I'm glad you liked it though _

**Silently Watching**: The title of ex-Titan doesn't get you as much help as it deserves, huh? I wonder if Robin, in this scenario anyway, always takes Jinx's crimes personally for "tempting Raven from the path of Good". And I feel sorry for the cop out front, he has to listen to the two of them mocking him, and even outright saying that they know he can hear them!  
>Now get to bed; you can't feed our addictions if you're dead on your feet! : )<br>Silently Watching out.

_Apparently not. Though I suppose if people see her out and about with a known criminal, it's going to tarnish her reputation somewhat. Yeah I can imagine him feeling somewhat that way about it. Wouldn't blame him either. Wouldn't you if some shady-as-fuck character took one of your friends away? Ahah yeah, must be pretty awkward for him! I know how I'd feel about that! Oh the irony of that last comment. THIS chapter is being written from bed, thanks to being ill again -_- 3 days was all it took for my common cold to turn into a nasty chest infection. I mean, wtf?_

**Spikesagitta: **It's things like this that really make it hard for me to like him...he's just short of being petty here. Oh well, he's the guy everyone love to hate :P

_Ahah yeah, but at least we can kinda step back and understand why he might be acting as such. But god knows I do like to hate him!_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Wait so ur not gonna write the funny Robin-interrogating scene or the epic jail break scene?

_There's a lovely thing about one-shots. You can set the scene without having to finish it. Use your imagination! :P I'm sure you have one! _

**Concolor44: **I didn't notice any spelling errors, but then I was reading pretty quickly ... and I'm rather tired myself.  
>This is definitely the best chapter yet. You are honing your skills, girl! Robin's advent and subsequent retreat were just beautiful. You captured, in just a few sentences, the hostility and tension that exists now that Raven is no longer a Titan. Also, the tight-wire she's walking with regard to the relationship between staying (technically) legal and being Jinx's girlfriend.<br>Hard row to hoe, as they say around here.

_Woop! Considering how long I'd been awake for at the time, I'd consider it a major plus. And that's good to hear!_

**AquaKaede: **I re-read this back despite knowing I should study for my Final and found as usually its relax me from the stress. And as I scrowling this down, I read about Jinx experiences about finding Raven's heritage and wondering if you can write about Jinx meeting with Rage.  
>From what I gather the reason Jinx trouble with the news not because Raven is a demon but her worry the Demon part of Raven will find someone else. Well, that and the potential of Death by our lovely Demon,Rage. And I also wonder if you can describe more about Rage since in the show she all Grrr, and Growwll. I know she talk but for the life of me the Grr part are more pronounce in the front of my mind *sweatdrop*<br>Plus it interesting to see the possesive part of Raven as the one I truly enjoy seeing is one In Khaleda fic. I'm sure yours probably as interesting as Jinx inner monoloque.

_I did reply to this via PM, but just to let you know I have started writing something as such that will be posted. It's just kind of taking me a long time to write haha :'3_

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><p>.<p>

.

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**Right then guys; got another bit (probably the last bit) of the babysitting arc for you! (but perhaps not the last we'll see of the kids :P)**

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><p>Jinx rolled over, half asleep, and moved her hand across the mattress, trying to find the demon halfling that should have been there, and coming up empty. She groaned as she buried her face into her pillows. She didn't hear Raven enter the room, and jumped out of her skin when she felt someone run their fingertips down her spine.<p>

"Shit!" Jinx quickly rolled over, glaring when she saw the empath standing there with a small smile on her face. "You need to stop doing that, or you need to start wearing a bell, damn it."

"You have a heist in two hours." She placed a mug of tea on the bedside table. "You might want to think about getting up."

"What time is it?" Jinx frowned.

"Nine."

"You mean the kids have finally learnt sleeping in late is a wonderful thing?" She grabbed for the mug of tea as she sat up.

"No. They were up at five. I was already awake."

"Seriously? I thought I'd broken you of that habit years ago?"

"I… felt the need to meditate." Raven shrugged.

"Is everything okay?" The woman frowned, leaning forward slightly. "You don't-"

"Need to meditate as much anymore, I know. You say it every time. I'm fine. After that fight, I just wanted to make sure everything was as it should be."

"Is it?"

"I said I was fine, didn't I?" The empath leaned down and quickly kissed the thief. "Now get up. Although I'm not sure you should be going out today. How are your ribs feeling?"

"Sore." She muttered. "If I stay home, do I get special treatment?"

"No. You get to help me entertain the kids." Raven replied. "They're returning to the monastery tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Don't sound too excited." Raven frowned slightly.

"Sorry. Not that they're _bad_ kids or anything. They just take up a lot of time. And ribs." The meta human shrugged as she poked at her ribcage.

The empath knocked her hand away. "You're going to make it worse. I will find a way to thank you for that. You didn't have to go against your old team."

"You're saying I'd still be allowed back in the apartment if I didn't? You'd have kicked my ass to hell and back – literally. Besides, I wasn't just gonna stand there and let them do that. I'm an obnoxious dick, but I'm not _that_ bad."

A frown creased Raven's brow as she sat on the side of the bed. "How did they even know we had the kids? And who gave them the contract?"

"Of course you're not Jinx; you're a wonderfully loving and kind person." The thief poorly imitated Raven's voice, grinning when the woman rolled her eyes. "Hey, I didn't tell no one they were here."

"I wasn't suggesting you did. Just… what if someone attempts to go after them again, when they're back at the monastery?"

"I thought like, only you and some of the other titans know where that is? Besides, they have Bobby. I wouldn't want to pick a fight with that thing. Want me to see if I can find out who issues that contract?"

"Please."

"Just don't use my paintbrushes again, and we have a deal."

"If you didn't keep coming home so late, I wouldn't have to find ways of getting back at you."

"Not that you should need to anyway. Why does it matter to you what time I get in?"

"Forgive me for worrying about you." The empath muttered as she stood up.

"You worry too much. You'll be getting grey hairs before your thirty."

"Anyone would, hanging around with you." Raven retorted as she moved towards the bedroom door. "Now seriously, get up. If you're running late I am not giving you a lift."

"Good, because I still hate that dark energy. It's fucking creepy. Seriously, I swear there are like, _things_ in all that darkness."

"Obviously. Jinx, you know what my soul self is a portal to, and it's my soul self I use when teleporting." Raven shrugged. "It's simple logic."

"You're joking, right?"

Raven looked back at the woman, noting she had managed to turn a shade paler, if that were possible. "It is safe – you know I wouldn't teleport with people if it wasn't. Stop being such a baby. The kids don't get as creeped out by it as you do."

"They don't know any better." The meta human pouted.

"Ouch." Raven opened the door, only to find the three children in question standing on the other side. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?"

"We were bored, and you were taking a while." Melvin shrugged.

"So, what happened to randomly barging in?" The empath asked as she motioned them back towards the living room, closing the bedroom door behind her.

"Melvin said it's rude, and we can't do it anymore." Timmy answered.

Raven glanced at the blonde girl, who smiled at her. "We're not at the monastery at the moment, so different rules apply, right?"

"The monks let you run into rooms screaming?" She asked sceptically.

"Timmy and Teether still get away with it, sometimes. I'm too old to be running around making lots of noise indoors." Melvin answered.

"Well… that's more lenient than I was expecting."

"Not everyone gets the tough end of the stick." Jinx commented as she walked out of the bedroom, her hair still down, but wearing her black dress and black and purple tights. "Their tantrums probably don't bring down half the building."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Timmy's ability is very similar to Black Canary's." She glanced at the boy in question, before turning round to look at Jinx. "You really need to think about designing a new outfit."

"And lose my trademark? You guys already eaten?"

"They had breakfast at about half five."

"Guess that means you won't want any French toast. Oh well, more for me." Jinx grinned as she made her way past them and behind the kitchen counter.

"Can we Raven? Please?" All three kids looked at the empath, who shrugged.

"If you don't waste it."

"We won't."

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><p>Beast Boy nudged Cyborg before pointing across the road towards the vast expanse of field known as Central Park. "Dude, is that..?"<p>

"Rae and Jinx? Who else do with know with pink and purple hair? Talk about a surprise." Cyborg grinned. "Come on; we should go talk to them."

"She's hardly spoken to us since Robin kicked her off the team. Is that really a good idea?"

The robotic man shrugged. "No time to make amends like the present. We didn't exactly stand up for her, did we? I'd be pissed at us too."

"And what about Jinx? Dude we saw her escape from a crime scene like two hours ago! If Robin finds out we-"

"Cool it BB. Since when were you one to pay attention to Robin?"

"Since he started kicking people off the team. You know he has issues with the whole Beast thing." The changeling looked across to the two women, frowning as he caught sight of two boys, one ginger and one blonde, running around Jinx and Raven as they played a game of tag. "Okay, who are the kids? Got a serious case of mind fuck right now."

The two boys stopped running as they caught sight of the two titans, both yelling something as they pointed, gaining the attention of the two women, a girl with blonde pigtails looking around Jinx.

"It's those kids from the monastery." Cyborg grinned. "You know, the one with the giant bear?"

"No way. This is some kinda creepy nightmare. I mean, Raven looking after kids is one thing, but _Jinx_?"

The watched the meta human lean over and say something to Raven before she stood up and jogged over. Cyborg waved at her, the friendly gesture going ignored.

"Guys, if you're gonna insist on tryin' to arrest me, can we take it elsewhere? We aint exactly told the kids what my… occupation is, an' Rae wants to keep it that way."

"I bet the monastery doesn't know either." Cyborg grinned. "It's cool. We were just gonna come over an' talk."

Jinx studied the two titans with narrowed eyes. "Won't Robin like, serious kick both your butts? I mean, we were fighting like, a few hours ago. My nice new little offence is still more than active."

"We know." Beast Boy said.

"But what Robin doesn't know won't kill 'im." Cyborg finished.

"Well that's a relief." Jinx grinned. "I really didn't want to get into another fight today." She turned around, barely glancing at the traffic on the road before she crossed, the two titans hurrying after her.

"And you think we do? I see you got stuck looking after the kids from the monastery."

Jinx frowned slightly. "Stuck being the right word. She didn't tell me until she was about to pick them up. They're leavin' tomorrow, which is probably a good thing."

"Yeah, we didn't exactly take you to be the… babysitting type." The changeling commented.

"Nah; it's not that. Someone sent my old team to kidnap them or somethin'. I've been tryin' to find out who issued the contract but no one wants to talk to me anymore."

"I'm guessing you won the fight then?"

Jinx grinned at Cyborg. "Hell yeah. With some help from Bobby."

"We got a call yesterday, but by the time we got there, the _police _told us Rae had dealt with it."

"Bet that grated on your leader's nerves."

"You've met Shimmer then?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yup. Took her out first. Not exactly leader material, is she?"

"I dunno. Her powers are a little badass." The changeling muttered, and Jinx turned to look at the titan.

"They _beat_ you guys?"

"No!" Beast Boy replied quickly, before adding "… okay, maybe once."

* * *

><p>Raven watched the two titans follow Jinx over with a small frown, unable to hear what they were saying, but feeling their spikes of amusement.<p>

"What's wrong?"

Startled, the empath looked at Melvin, having all but forgotten about the girl's presence. "Nothing's wrong."

"How come you don't live in the tower, with everyone else?"

"It's complicated." Raven muttered, looking back towards Beast Boy, Cyborg and Jinx.

"Does it have something to do with Jinx?"

Raven's head snapped back round to the girl, her expression somewhat shocked. "What makes you think that?"

Melvin shrugged, stretching to her left and uprooting a daisy. "Something those bad guys said yesterday."

The empath sighed as she watched the girl toy with the flower. "She used to lead the group that attacked us. Now she's more of a thief than a super villain."

"She saved me, and I remember she was on our side against the brain guy and the big monkey."

"Not everyone who breaks the law is essentially… evil." Raven nodded slowly. "What Jinx does is wrong, but she doesn't actively seek to hurt people."

"And your friends don't like that you like her? Are you still a Titan?"

"No, I'm not. I'm a civilian now – or trying my best to be." Raven answered, purposely ignoring her first question, watching as Timmy and Teether ran to meet the two titans. "Aren't you going to go over and see Cyborg and Beast Boy?"

Melvin shrugged slightly, picking another daisy. "Why do you like her, if she's supposed to be one of the bad guys?"

"I ask myself that every day." Raven muttered, before speaking up. "Do _you_ like her?"

"She's kind of weird… but she's nice." Melvin nodded, smiling slightly. "And funny."

"Yeah? What about Bobby?"

The girl's smile grew. "Bobby likes her, because she protected us." Her smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Is that wrong? Liking someone even though they're bad?"

"Do you think it's wrong?" Melvin looked up at Raven, frowning, and the empath offered her a smile. "Cyborg and Beast Boy are talking with her just fine, and they fight her regularly. You can like someone without it being a bad thing. You just have to recognise that just because they do something, doesn't mean you should too."

"But you're not a titan anymore."

"I haven't broken the law." Raven shrugged slightly.

"Why didn't Jinx become one of the good guys instead?"

"Because things aren't always as easy as that. You could ask her, if you wanted to, but I don't think she'd give you much of an answer."

The girl shook her head. "That's okay." She got to her feet and smoothed down her pink skirt, handing the two daisies to Raven. "I'm going to go see Cyborg and Beast Boy. Can you look after these for me?"

Raven nodded, staying where she was as the girl rushed off, Jinx making her escape as the two titans turned their attention to Melvin, walking over to the empath and sitting on her knees next to the woman.

"It's cool. They just wanna; I've kinda let them know what they can't mention, since, you know." She gestured vaguely in the direction of the kids.

"Hmm."

"You're gonna make this awkward, aren't you?" Jinx sighed.

"Not intentionally… but probably."

"If I can keep up conversation when they tried to arrest me a few hours ago, you have no excuse." The meta human got to her feet and dragged the empath with her. "Besides, do you want the kids to pick up that something's off between you and your old team?"

"Melvin already has." Raven muttered.

"…oh."

"We talking it through. I think she's okay with it all."

"You think?"

"She didn't say otherwise?" The empath shrugged.

"Wait… when you say you talking it through..?"

"I'll tell you about the conversation later." Raven shook her head, eyes moving to watch her old team mates. "If you don't mind, I'd rather concentrate on the upcoming conversation right now."

* * *

><p>"You made sure you've not left anything?" Raven asked as Timmy ran into the living room to join his siblings who were stood next to the empath, over-stuffed back packs in hand.<p>

"Uhuh." All three of them chorused.

"You know what to do if any bad guys turn up, right?"

"We call you." Melvin nodded. "And hide somewhere until you get there."

"You should be fin, but I'll warn the monks about the possible contract just in case." Raven muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

"Is Jinx coming with us?" The blonde girl asked.

"She's staying here."

"I don't like the whole teleportin' thing." Jinx spoke up.

Melvin dropped her bag and walked over to the meta human, hugging the woman, much to Jinx's surprise. "It was nice to meet you."

"Umm… yeah. You too, kid." The thief replied, awkwardly holding her arms out to the side as she stared at Raven, silently asking for help.

Raven simply smiled with amusement as the two boys copied Melvin enthusiastically. "Melvin, Bobby's going to have to stop hiding, otherwise I won't be able to see him to take him back with us."

Jinx quickly stepped back as Melvin turned to face the empath, pushing Timmy and Teether away with a hand on each of their foreheads. The giant bear seemed to materialise next to Raven, and the woman waved the three children over.

"You're _sure_ you've got everything? Just because I can teleport, doesn't mean I'm going to make the journey twice just for whatever it is you've left."

"We're sure." Melvin nodded, and Raven ran a critical eye over the group, pausing when her eyes reached the youngest boy, trying to hide her look of exasperation.

"Teether, where's your blanket?"

The blonde boy looked down as though only just realising he wasn't holding the square of material, before he ran into the spare room and came back out with the blue blanket, a large smile on his face.

"I'm going to have to speak to the monks about that too, aren't I? You're almost 5. Shouldn't you have grown out of it by now or something?"

"But I _like_ my blanket." The small boy protested, before pointing at the giant bear. "Melvin still has Bobby, and she's 10!"

"That's kind of a different thing." Raven shook her head. "Whatever. It's not my problem." She looked up at Jinx as her soul self started to reach out and envelope the five of them. "See you in a bit."

Jinx waited for the black sphere to disappear before switching the TV on and moving over to the kitchenette, pulling a clean dishcloth out from the cupboard under the sink, filling the sink with warm soapy water, before turning her attention to the bowls that had been left on the side, irritating her since they had breakfast that morning. Finally she could clean the apartment and expect it to _stay_ clean for the rest of the day.

She'd moved onto vacuuming by the time Raven re-appeared, having washed and dried the pots, wiped down all the surfaces and changed the sheets in the guest bedroom. Raven used her telekinesis to pull the vacuum cleaner's plug out of the socket on the wall, smiling as Jinx tried to figure out why the machine had suddenly stopped working.

"You really do need to think about seeing a doctor regarding this… obsession with neatness you have."

Jinx turned to face the woman, eyes going past her to the plug now resting on the floor. "Think you could, you know? Go ahead and plug the vacuum back in?"

"Nope."

"Could you at least turn the socket off?"

Raven's smile widened, the switch flicking off seemingly by itself. "That better?"

"Stop smiling. It's not funny." Jinx glared at the empath a moment, giving up when the woman simply chuckled. "They get back alright?"

"Considering I dropped them off inside the walls of the Monastery." Raven nodded. "Want to hear about that conversation I had with Melvin? She's very observant for a girl her age."

"Sure, but can it wait until after I've finished cleaning?"

"You know, it's not _quite_ at a level where it's affecting your everyday life, but it will be if you're not careful."

"Raven, I do not have OCD."

"Do you want me to recite the spec given by the DSM IV?"

"You've been researching it." Jinx accused.

"Of course I have."

"I'm not talking about this with you of all people. I mean, have you even properly seen your head?"

"I'm half demon. My mind _is_ stable. Human psychological practices can't be effectively applied to my psychology anyway."

"And I'm a meta human, and a thief. I'm as damn stable as I need to be. So what exactly did you tell Melvin about the whole thing between you and the titans anyway?"

Raven sat down on the sofa as she turned the TV off. "She asked me if it had anything to do with you."

"She _what_?" Jinx regarded the empath with wide eyes.

"She'd picked up on something your old team mates had said. She didn't say what. She knows you're one of the 'bad guys'."

"And?"

"And we had a talk about the differences between malicious intensions, and just breaking the law. She was worried that _she_ was a bad person just because she likes you." Raven smiled.

"A demon halfling giving _moral_ advice to a kid? What's wrong with that picture?"

"Well thanks to _you_ she's already coming to realise everything isn't so cut and dry as good and evil. Although that's probably a good thing."

"Wait, so if she knows I'm one of the 'bad guys', what was with the hug?"

"I think it helps that she's only ever seen you when you appear to be on our side."

Jinx nodded as she moved to plug the vacuum cleaner back in, able to feel Raven's eyes on her back. "You know… it might not be _too_ bad, if they like, visited every now and then."

"I thought you didn't want them in the apartment?" The empath asked.

"Well no, but… I mean _someone_ has to spoil them sometimes, considering they live in a monastery and all that shit. Wouldn't want them to end up like you."

"You're lucky you're stood over there, and I'm comfortable where I am." Raven growled playfully.

Jinx laughed. "Do you want them to spend every hour of their lives until they're 18 surrounded by robed, religious extremists?"

"Well I don't see anything _wrong_ with it. At least they won't turn out like you." The empath replied. She paused as a frown slowly crept up on her face. "You're… not suggesting..?"

"What?" Jinx frowned back, before surprise coloured her face. "Hell no! No! I mean, for starters this place is _way_ too small for that many people. No. I was just sayin' I wouldn't mind them stayin' here for like, short breaks; if that's what you want."

Raven shook her head slightly. "Finish your cleaning spree. I'll see about ordering takeout or something."

"There I am, going out on a limb an' all you can do is talk about food?" Jinx asked, her tone teasing.

"Why, what do you want me to say?"

"I dunno. Thought you'd at least recognise what I said. You obviously care for 'em, an' they like you. I mean doesn't it bother you that they're stuck in the middle of nowhere with no-one but Monks to talk to?"

"You're forgetting I was raised in a similar situation. I don't see what the problem is."

"Exactly." Jinx muttered, before switching the vacuum cleaner back on. She could feel Raven's confused frown on her back, but ignored it, shaking her head to herself when the empath finally stood up and grabbed the phone before stepping outside the apartment.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry about any typos. I don't bother proof reading these since each chapter is more of a writing exercise than an actual… well, they're not like the chapters with my other stories.<strong>

**Heh, also sorry about the quality of the chapter. Kinda hard to write when you're ill. **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:**** I spent all Saturday night (that's from 10pm till 3:30am) in Rock City, drinking more than I want to think about and dancing on the main floor, packed in with everyone like sardines, wearing **_**really **_**high heels and a skimpy dress while head-banging/dancing to a variety of rock music, and the only 'injury' I get from the entire night? Apparently the myth about kissing and cold sores is true -_- On another note, I couldn't have asked for a better last night out with all my friends. Think it's the first time I actually realised I'm **_**really**_** gonna miss some people.**

**Now, I know I said in 'Changes' it was very unlikely I'd get anything out over these next few days, but what my Muse wants goes, and he's been working so hard of this new background for my version of Jinx, and he really wants to share it with you all, so here it is :) **

**Reviews:**

**Spikesagitta: **I wonder if those who want the kids kidnap will be an issue later on? That didn't seem to be resolve, and these one shots chapters seem to be morphing into a whole actual story actually :)

_Hmm. Who knows? Ahah! Yeah, that isn't on purpose. Guess I just like working to a time line. As rough as it is, and things just started to link together unintentionally as I wrote them (minus the baby sitting arc. That was intentional.)_

**Anonymous: **I'm glad you're friend got the care she needed, and as you said it's harder to write when you're ill, I hope you get better soon also :D The chapter was fun and interesting :D I can't wait to see which story you update next!

_Well, we're still waiting actually. Her GP's writing a complaint to the NHS xD Though it's nothing she can't deal with. Thanks :) Luckily it wasn't as bad as I usually am (yay!) Glad you liked it!_

**Silently Watches: **Loved it. It's good to see that not every Titan likes Robin's new policies, and I would PAY to watch him if he ever found out that Beast Boy and Cyborg were friendly with Jinx the day after their fight.  
>Oh boy, Jinx, when Raven realizes what you said, you're going to have to go LONGER without any hanky-panky.<br>Silently Watches out.

_Good! Yeah, it is isn't it? Yeah, I'm not sure how he'd take that. Not well. She really needs to think over what she's saying more, doesn't she? :P_

**Anonymous: **Not so many typos at that. And it's always fun to watch when someone's paradigm gets upended, especially if that someone is a kid.  
>Now, on the other hand, while BB &amp; Cy didn't exactly "give aid and comfort to the enemy", Robin would get Completely Disassembled if he knew they were standing around the park chatting with Jinx. That's not a habit they should encourage, unless they want the Teen Titans to consist solely of Starfire and Robin.<br>Do you have the same sort of obsessive approach to cleaning that Jinx does? That would be highly amusing to me.  
>In what fashion are you ill? Are you treated? Getting better? I worry about you.<p>

_Yay! It is. I wasn't too sure about writing it, but apparently it didn't go down too badly. It isn't something that should be encouraged – especially if the public started to take notice. What would that say about their heroes? Ahah NO! I really don't. Most of the time. However once I do start cleaning, it does turn into a Jinx kinda spree, and I have to keep things neat to a point. I don't tidy up often, but when I do I won't stop until every last speck of dust is gone. So I guess it is obsessive, just not to Jinx's extent (I do however have other OCDs (I don't mean habits, I mean compulsive-or-suffer-anxiety-attacks actions I have to carry out) and I am well aware of the personality types that are more likely to develop them. Jinx having an OCD just seemed natural to me). Ah, chest infection. I get the often due to my bad asthma + other medical conditions. Nothing I can do but go on a course of steroids. Luckly that was one of my nicer ones and only lasted a week or two. (The worst being bedbound for a few weeks) _

**Stormplains: **And here's my pen name, again. Cute but also mature. I like it, no love it. Can't wait for more s I stalk... Er... READ your other stories.  
>Keep writing strong.<p>

_Got to say, it's starting to feel like you've been reviewing my stuff from the beginning, how many times your name keeps popping up. Glad you did!_

* * *

><p>Raven glanced up over her book – an in-depth account of someone's encounter with what they believed to be an imp; an old creature known for loving mayhem that usually ended in bloodshed - and looked towards the kitchen as she picked up on the spicy aroma that had slowly started to fill the apartment, curious as to what her lover was cooking. Unable to see much from the sofa, she put her book down and walked over, leaning against the breakfast counter as she watched Jinx add something finely chopped and bright green in colour to a deep sided pan. As she waited for the hex caster to notice her, she tried to recall what Jinx had called it. Raven almost wanted to call it a wok, but a nagging feeling in the back of her mind was telling her that wasn't right.<p>

"You might as well go back to your book." Jinx spoke up without looking around. "It's not going to be ready for at least another fifteen minutes."

"May I ask what _it_ is?" She moved up until she was stood directly behind the woman and peered over her shoulder into the pot.

"Macher jhol."

"That wasn't English."

Jinx grinned and pushed Raven back several steps so she could move over to one of the kitchen cupboards, pulling out a small frying pan before she moved over to another cupboard and grabbed two spice jars. "It's a type of fish curry. I fancied cooking something a little different."

"Curry?" Raven moved back over to the oven and looked at the content of the pot again. "It doesn't _look_ like curry."

"That you're used to eating, sure." She shoved Raven to the side and placed the small frying pan on one if the hobs. "Do I have to tell you not to hover in my kitchen while I'm cooking _again_?"

Turning to hob on, she added a few teaspoons of the spices, dry roasting them for a moment, before taking them off the hob and carefully moving them to a simple, white ceramic pestle and mortar and grinding them. Raven moved back towards the breakfast counter, out of her girlfriend's way.

"We've been living together for about two year now." Raven noted.

"Yup." She glanced back at the woman. "Two years an' you haven't even cooked me one meal."

"You should be thankful for that, but food wasn't what I was going to talk about."

"If this is one of those 'you should probably meet my family now' kinda conversations, you can stop right there. There is one half of your family I _definitely _don't wanna meet, and I'm pretty sure me an' your dad wouldn't exactly get along either."

Raven laughed slightly, shaking her head. "Idiot. As I was saying, we've been living together for about two years now, and I still don't know anything about your life before you joined H.I.V.E Academy."

"Okay… And what brought on this? You've never asked about it before."

Raven shrugged, despite the fact Jinx had her back to the empath and couldn't see the motion. "I suppose curiosity has finally gotten the best of me. After all, you know everything about my past."

"Damn right. Besides, your past is interestin', being a demon and all that. You don't wanna hear 'bout my boring, mundane life prior to kicking titan butt."

"I can think of many words to describe you, and 'boring' and 'mundane' are not two of those words."

Jinx looked back at Raven, her head tilted slightly to one side. "You know, I used to wonder quite a bit why you'd never asked about my life before, even though I'd constantly be throwing questions at you."

"I never felt the need to you. I know who you are _now_ and that is enough. Who you used to be doesn't really affect me – or us, so I left it alone. Had you brought it up, I might have asked about it sooner."

The hex caster turned back to the meal she was cooking. "It really isn't that exiting for the most part. I know most people expect criminals to have some… messed up background but I don't, not really. Ignoring one or two more spectacular events. I'm actually Indian, believe it or not." She looked back, wanting to see Raven's expression, smiling slightly at the sight of Raven's arched brow.

"Indian, huh? Well, I wouldn't have guessed that."

"Yeah. Most people don't. I lived in India until I was nine, in a small town called Balkundra. I have an older brother and younger sister though I haven't seen my brother since I left India. He left to do his compulsory service in the army when I was about seven and must have liked it, since he stayed on. When me and my sister wasn't at school, we were learning how to cook, or looking after the goat we had; you know, just general stuff. My family weren't exactly wealthy – in fact they were pretty poor – and my parents had an agreement with a local, wealthier family that their first-born daughter would marry that family's son. I mean, saying that now definitely comes across as weird, but marriages are arranged for all sorts of shit over there. Obviously I was born looking like this, and with my horoscope saying what it did, the other family cut off the agreement."

"Horoscope?" Raven frowned.

Jinx nodded, adding a few neatly cut, small fish fillets to the pot. "Yeah; not these stupid things on the internet. It's kinda like an old tradition to get your kid an in-depth horoscope after their birth, and I mean real in-depth. Tells you what type of personality you can expect the kid to have, when they're gonna have a prosperous year or a bad one… They're confusing as hell to read, but taken seriously by some families, mine included, and my horoscope didn't exactly read well." She laughed to herself and turned round to look at Raven as she waited for the fish to cook. "Long story short, I'm born under the planet Saturn. In Hindi, that's the planet of Shani. If the planet gets into the right alignments during your horoscope, it basically means you're looking at a year of bad luck. A person with the influence of Shani over them is believed to attract poverty, thieves, and any husband/wife taken during that time is suppose to die or somethin'. The fact that Saturn IS my planet and the fact that I was born with this appearance and had a tendency to break things without touching them really upset the locals. They all believed I really was cursed or some shit. My parents named me Dhanya because one of its meanings is 'lucky' – I'm sure you've heard people from the H.I.V.E call me that. They loved the irony. Anyways, my family just kept getting poorer, so I started stealing stuff, to help us along. A friend of my Mom's taught her English, and she decided we should get out the country – start afresh somewhere else. They believed in the horoscope and all that shit, but they didn't hate me, and I think they got sick of people looking at our family in a bad light. Obviously we didn't have the money to migrate, so we hid in some large shipment of stuff heading for America. Thanks to whatever deity was watching us that day, we got into the country unseen, got some documents forged and attempted to make a living."

"Attempted?"

"Well, my dad got work at a factory but it was minimum wage, and no one would employ Mom. Because we'd lived in the middle of nowhere, she didn't exactly have any qualifications. I guess what everyone used to say about me had made some impact, because two years later I packed up and left one night. Not because I didn't like my family, or because they didn' like me. Just because what if they _were_ right, an' I was cursed by some Hindu god or other, and my family's situation was all my fault? I don't know whether it like, did anything to help them or not, because I haven't seen them since. I'm not sure that I want to. I mean, if they did well after I left, then great, but if nothin' had changed… man, that'd be as embarrassing as fuck." Her cheeks coloured slightly as she glanced down at her shoes. "Hell, I still feel embarrassed now that something as stupid as someone's opinion could affect me that much. I mean I don't even _believe_ in all that religious crap. Not really"

Raven stepped forward and lifted the woman's chin up with two fingers to make Jinx look at her, offering her smile. "If it's any consolation, I believed the Monks when they told me it was my destiny to become the portal for my father – that there was no other way around it. In the past few years, I've started to think that _maybe_ it had been avoidable, that if I hadn't believed them and kept trying, I could have found some way of stopping it. I know what it's like to grow up in a community that judges you from the moment you're born. Everyone would like to believe they aren't affected or that they can ignore judgement from others, but they are affected in some way, and I'm sure everyone's done at least one thing they're embarrassed about because of what others have said."

"You don't think it was just me bein' stupid?"

Raven shook her head, and Jinx smiled. The hex caster leaned forward and quickly kissed the tip of the empath's nose before pushing her backwards, her smile widening.

"Get out my kitchen, before you distract me and make me ruin dinner."

* * *

><p><strong>AN****: Just to say I am NOT Hindu, neither am I or any of my family from India – most of the info I used come from my best friend's mother who is Hindu and my best friend (she isn't religious but obviously she's picked a lot of stuff up from her parents/grandparents,) therefore sorry for anything that isn't right (please note the bit about her Indian horoscope was adjusted slightly, but still fit within the actual beliefs. Having the shadow of Shani is supposed to be a bad thing, and attract poverty and thieves, however neither me or my friend's mother has found anything saying being born under Saturn is a bad thing). May I also say that Macher Jholis GORGEOUS, particulary when paired with a Lassi drink, and you haven't lived until you've tasted 'traditional' Indian food (not the stuff that's been adapted for western countries.) The sweets are particularly tasty!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N****: **Those of you with a sharp eye might have noticed I've taken down a previous chapter. Why? Because after I began working on a request for _DeathNoteUser_, it dragged in a previous chapter and I ended up pretty much re-writing the entire thing. Anyway, it took me quite a while to write this to a standard I liked, so I hope everyone else well enjoy.

One more note – once again, I've been playing around with Jinx's background and it's altered slightly from its appearance a few chapters ago. I'm aware I haven't replied to reviews this chapter, but I have read every one and am very appreciative of all your reviews and comments. (If I find the time, I'll send you all (you being those who signed in) a PM back)

* * *

><p>Two steps forward, one step back. It seemed to be the pattern that defined every moment of Jinx's life.<p>

_Two steps forward_; aged twelve, young Dhanya Sengupta made the decision to leave her home and family in the quiet Tadvai village of Jamalgudem and travelled east through three Provinces to reach the Bay of Bengal. There she met up with several like-minded people and together they found and boarded a cargo ship travelling for the USA, hiding themselves in a sea container. Tucked into her corner of the steel container with nothing but two four-pint milk cartons of water and her prayers young Dhanya managed to survive the trying journey, arriving in California several pounds lighter and smelling of things she'd rather not think about, but alive, which in itself was a small miracle. Her second stroke of good luck – and her second offence on American soil – had been taking out the workers who had opened the container they had hidden in at the docks. Slipping unseen from the docks on the other side had been one of the group's biggest concerns, but not for Dhanya. She hadn't intended to release the hex that hit the first worker directly in the chest and send him backwards – unconscious, the girl presumed, though she had no way of knowing if she'd done more serious damage – into his partner, driving them both to the ground, but she saw her chance and ran. She never did find out what happened to those she'd travelled with, but at the time it hadn't mattered. She was out. The journey had been a nightmare and she'd never quite felt the same about small spaces again but she'd accomplished her goals of escaping the whispers that had haunted her and her family since her birth, and hopefully drawn them away from her family too.

_One step back;_ the young girl hadn't quite anticipated just how different American cities would be. Due to the rural nature of her home, Dhanya had long since learned how to farm and live off the land during times when coin was a problem, but here there was nothing but concrete, everywhere she looked. Without money, identification or the means to communicate Dhanya felt isolated like never before. Stealing – whether it was from shops or someone's pocket on the street – quickly became her best skill, and when she wasn't stealing she was hiding down alleys or under bridges, keeping to herself and learning to navigate the concrete jungle the hard way. It wasn't one of the girl's finest moments, or one that left her feeling like her decision to leave her family had been a good idea.

_Two steps forward;_ progress was slow, but when it did happen, it seemed to happen all at once. Slowly, very slowly, Dhanya began to pick up the English language through watching and listening to those around her. Able to communicate she began to form relationships with some of the familiar faces from the streets, one who taught her to read. It still wasn't close to being the fantasy she'd conjured during her dreams of leaving India, but no longer was she merely surviving – she was beginning to thrive, a development only solidified by her acceptance into H.I.V.E Academy. One of the school's 'scouts' had observed her break into and successfully rob a small jewellers. The end of her first year in California saw young Dhanya off the streets with an endless web of possibilities opening up before her. Dhanya Sengupta was forgotten at the first chance, and instead she became the American 'Jinx' with the oldest story in the book. If anyone asked, she would mention an abusive stepfather, and for years no one was any the wiser.

_One step back;_ while Jinx certainly flourished under the watchful eye of the academy, there was one aspect of her forgotten life that wouldn't stay in the past. Her criminal record grew, and with it the old whispers returned, the same words from different mouths. Outside the academy – and even to some in it – she was a freak, cursed. People were weary of her bad luck, and she didn't blame them. For several years Jump Penitentiary became her second home, and her life seemed stuck in a rut – she had reached a hurdle she didn't know how to jump, or even if she could.

Then came along Raven. Jinx's next steps forward had been inevitable if you asked her, or if you asked the empath, an example of fate's twisted humour. Despite their differences and the countless conflicts from opposite sides of the law a romance blossomed between the two girls as they reached their late teenage years. It was a romance full of misunderstandings, strife and disagreements but a romance none of the less, and as their bond grew stronger Jinx felt as though her life and moved past that hurdle and was back on track, bringing her closer and closer to her childish dreams of life in America. She had the security of a place to call her own, a beautiful woman to share it with, and although they weren't rich by any means they had enough to be comfortable.

Yet she could feel herself taking that next step back. She was sat at the cross-roads, faced with a price she couldn't ignore for a job she should probably forget. Jinx didn't know what to do, feeling as though whatever she chose, it would be wrong and something in her life would end up suffering because of it.

Jinx hated guns. They were loud, messy and unpredictable. They were too slow when it really mattered, and when they were put in the hands of someone with her abilities… something _always_ went wrong, whether it was a blockage in the barrel or the entire thing falling apart into several pieces. Jinx also didn't need them – she could do _much_ more damage with one well placed hex than she could with all seven rounds of the gun sat on the counter in front of her.

The Smith & Wesson _Bodyguard 380_ wasn't the sleekest looking gun, or something she personally would have picked out, but it was compact and lightweight – ideal for concealed wear, which was particularly important since she lacked a licence to carry, or even own a gun. The courts had made sure of that! The model's built in laser sight made her feel somewhat insulted though, as if her could-be client was insinuating incompetence. Jinx didn't like guns and guns didn't like her, but that wasn't to say she didn't know how to use one. It had been basic training in H.I.V.E Academy at one point, and while she'd never been the top of her class, she'd been pretty damn good. Good enough that she didn't need no stupid guide.

The gun had come with two extra – loaded – magazines, leaving the thief with a total of twenty-five rounds. She flipped one of those magazines between her hands again and again as she continued to stare at the offending object. Working freelance had it's advantages; she could pick and choose her jobs and her work hours, she didn't have to worry about any team mates slipping up and, best of all, she didn't have to split the pay. And then it had it's downsides, like actually knowing how much she was going to be paid. Under the H.I.V.E all payment had gone through the Academy, and as the independent group, the H.I.V.E Five, they hadn't measured payment in cash but in the amount of goods they'd managed to lift.

The job offer currently on her mind was a prime example of the downside. It had sounded simple enough – break into some man's home, take some antique the description of which she'd be given upon actually accepting the job, and deliver it. By all appearances it was an easy job and nothing Jinx was unfamiliar with. And then he'd slid the small backpack containing the Smith & Wesson cross the table to her. On a normal day Jinx would have turned it down there and then. She didn't have many rules regarding her 'work', but the ones she did have were simple enough; no drugs, no hit-jobs and no jobs that could incriminate her as anything more than a thief, which included the planting and disposal of weapons, not that the latter was part of the job offer. Her choice should had been simple enough, but the man had offered her $100,000 cash, with $25,000 of it paid up upon accepting. It was a hell of a lot of money for the theft, and not something Jinx was keep to pass up so quickly, even if it did spell bad news.

Which is where the gun came into the picture. It was a 'gift' of sorts. If, come tomorrow morning, she had decided she wanted the job, she was to keep it when she met up with her client as a clear 'yes', the gift part coming in with a warning about the target of the theft. If she didn't want the job all she had to do was hand it over – which she would do _after_ making sure it was unloaded. You could never be too careful.

Jinx hadn't asked exactly how the target was dangerous, but she was starting to wish she had. Pink cat eyes drifted up to the clock hanging on the wall near the apartment door as she nudged one of the rounds out of the magazine onto the palm of her hand, well aware she was leaving her DNA all over it but failing to care at that moment. The hands on the cheap white analogue marked half past six. The bookstore Raven worked at closed at five every day but Sunday when it didn't open at all, and the demi-demon usually took anything from half an hour to an hour to close up and do a stock take. Some days she decided to walk home, which meant she was due any time, and the thief still didn't know what to do. She really wanted to tell the man no, but $100,000 was a lot of money and the teenager in her saw the challenge of a job that usually came with high pay. She'd always loved a challenge in the days before she recognised she had more to think about that just herself.

Her eyes dropped down from the clock to the door as she heard it unlock, the door swinging open before Raven walked into the apartment. The woman had an impeccable sense of timing. She watched Raven remove a dark teal coat with a small smile. The temperature had dropped within the past few weeks as they approached the middle of the Californian winter and the sea breeze was cold enough that most of the city residents were wearing coats. Not that Raven was bothered by such a mild change in temperature. No, the light button-up coat was only worn so the empath didn't attract more attention than her appearance usually warranted. Raven _hated_ gaining attention.

The empath didn't look at Jinx as she moved to hand her jacket up on the decorative cast-iron coat hanger nailed to the wall, but the thief already knew she had Raven's attention and wasn't surprised in the least when the woman asked, "What's wrong?"

Her voice was as accusing as it was concerned, and in a force of an old habit, Jinx crossed her arms in response, wearing a small frown as she replied, "Who said anything's wrong? How was work?"

"I could _feel_ your storm of emotions from the street." Raven informed her dryly as she turned to look at her, but the empath's eyes never found Jinx. Instead they were drawn to the gun on the kitchen counter-top, its matt black finish making it stand out against the white surface like Beast Boy in a crowd. When she spoke her voice was tight and clipped. "Why is there a _gun_ in our apartment?"

The thief frowned, not liking the tone of the woman's voice, and slid the round back into the magazine in her hands, putting it down before she said, "I know you don't like them-"

"I was under the impression you shared my views." Raven interrupted and Jinx glared at her, her patience – as usual – dwindling quickly.

"Do you want an explanation or not?" She asked, making a point of waiting a moment before saying, "I went to see about that job today, just to talk basics. He gave it to me."

"What do you mean he 'gave' it to you?"

"Could you _sound_ any more suspicious? What do you think I mean? He _gave it to me_. You know, handed it over? If I don't want the job I give it back. If I do, I keep it. I mean I would have thrown it straight back into his face but Rae, we're lookin' at $100,000! That would seriously set us up for a while! I wouldn't have to do another job for a year or two… or we could spend it on a super long, super awesome holiday somewhere or-"

"You've been hired to _kill_ someone? You're a thief, not a hit man!" Raven protested.

"Who said anything about killing anyone?" The meta human asked loudly, irritated. "It's a _theft_."

"So then why the gun?" Raven asked as she walked over. "Damn it Jinx, who knows how it was last used! It could be the murder weapon in an open investigation!"

"I _know_!" Jinx finally shouted, and she did know – the thought had already crossed her mind. "I've been doing this for a long time. You think I don't know the tricks of the trade?"

"Then why the hell did you take it?" The empath asked in disbelief.

"Because that would be throwing a hell of a lot of money down the drain! Keeping it means I'm considering taking the job, like I said."

Raven lent against the kitchen counter and studied the woman, giving Jinx time to cool down and herself time to truly consider all her lover had said. "Exactly what is the job?"

"I told you, a theft. To break into some idiot's house, steal some stupid antique and deliver it."

"Don't you think $100,000 sounds suspicious. For a _theft_?" The woman tried to reason. When she didn't respond, Raven shook her head. "No. I don't want you doing it. It doesn't sound right."

Jinx's anger rushed back with vengeance as she impulsively scowled, "I'm sorry, but since _when_ did I need _your permission_?"

The empath's eyes narrowed slightly as she decided, "This isn't open for debate."

The thief shot to her feet in protest, tipping the stool she'd been sat on. "Well it fucking should be! Who the hell do you think you are? You share my bed, you don't _own_ me!"

Despite trying to keep calm, the overflow of Jinx's emotions began to get to her, and she found her voice getting louder. "Do you not see how dodgy this is?"

"Its $100,000 Raven, it's damn worth thinking about!"

"Its suicide! Perhaps you should have asked who he's already hired and where they are now." When she realised Jinx wasn't going to listen she decided to change her angle slightly. "You promised. You promised when we moved in together."

"Oh no you don't!" Jinx approached the empath and invaded her personal space as she jabbed her finger against Raven's sternum, outraged. "I promised to take less jobs and consider your concerns, not obey you!"

"You can't even tell me what you're stealing other than it being an antique of some sort! No, I can't let you do this."

Jinx expression hardened as a clamp came down on the emotions Raven could feel pouring off her until all she was left with was hard resolve. "Then I'm not your problem anymore."

Before Raven could react, the front door had slammed shut and she was suddenly alone. The kitchen light shattered, plunging her into darkness as she ran to the front door, but by the time she'd stepped out into the hallway it was already empty. She wasn't sure how long she stood staring down the empty corridor but she could no longer sense Jinx when she finally backed into the apartment and closed the door.

For the first time in her life, Raven felt the need to break something ripple through her arms and tighten her muscles. She didn't, but she didn't need to as the sound of something breaking reached her ears, something else following it seconds later as Jinx's voice echoed through her head. _Then I'm not your problem anymore_.

Something gripped her chest and squeezed tight, Raven suddenly struggling to breathe. She stumbled over to the phone and dialled in the number for Jinx's mobile from memory only for it to ring from somewhere behind her, the demi-demon spinning round and finding it sat next to the gun.

The gun. Half of her tried to convince herself Jinx would be back, even if it was for nothing more than her client's weapon but another part of her – the part that had spent years trying to track the H.I.V.E Five – knew Jinx was _very_ good at disappearing, and it wouldn't have been the first time she'd left everything behind to do it.

The vice around her chest tightened until she wished the ground would open beneath her feet and swallow her whole. The impulse running through her arms won, and the phone was no longer in her grip, flying through the air before it smashed into the wall near the bedroom door, splitting into several pieces that clattered to the floor, but she didn't see it, her face buried in her hands the moment they were empty as she cursed herself. Her anger and desperation eventually won out, and she was throwing things again – anything she could get her hands on. Jinx's mobile phone, the gun, the wooden fruit bowl that never seemed to hold anything other than their junk mail and the second stool before she lowered herself onto the floor, her back against the kitchen counter and her eyes on the door as she mentally berated herself again and again.

Despite her plans to watch the door until – in case – Jinx showed up, she'd drifted off to sleep by the time the door finally opened at half past one and a calm but embarrassed thief snuck in. She didn't spot Raven on the floor in the dark.

Jinx locked the door behind her before flicking the light switch, frowning when nothing happened. She flicked it on and off several more times before giving up, not realising the cause until she moved further into the room and heard glass crunch under her boots. She absently scalded herself for nothing thinking about that first, having half managed to convince herself the power was simply out.

The noise woke the empath, and she shot to her feet, narrowly managing to miss the over-hang of the counter top, scaring Jinx who jumped back before exclaiming, "_Crap_! I didn't see you."

The woman had barely finished speaking when Raven started. "Jinx, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to come across so demanding and possessive and I was a total ass and you have every reason to be angry at me but there is _no_ amount of money in this world or any other that would be worth you risking your life for."

The thief didn't think she'd ever heard Raven talk so fast before, and she studied the empath in amusement before saying, "I know."

Raven could feel her lover's embarrassment, but it didn't really register, her own feelings of distress taking the front seat, telling her that getting such a reply shouldn't have been as easy as that. "You know?" She asked slowly.

"Yeah, I know." Jinx grinned, before admitting sheepishly, "I didn't really want to take the job in the first place, not until you tried to tell me I couldn't. I just thought I should think about it first. I started an argument over nothing." Seeing the protest on Raven's face as the woman started to speak, she quickly added, "You're right, you were a total ass-wipe but only because I started it. I could have stopped it at any point but I didn't." She glanced down to where Raven had obviously been sat the entire time, and offered, "I'm sorry I got you upset over something so stupid."

"You're not leaving?" Raven asked in a small voice, and Jinx felt like something in her chest broke.

She shook her head as she moved over to the empath, pulling her into a tight hug she felt Raven hesitate to return. "I don't think I could leave your cute, sorry ass if I tried. Even if you can be an overly protective, possessive jerk. Not to mention I really like the apartment and if _I_ walk out it's basically handing it over to you, and we can't have that." The ex-titan managed to laugh slightly, though her grip on Jinx tightened. The thief felt the need to add, "I'll take the gun back first thing tomorrow and we can forget this ever happened, 'kay?"

"You might have to find it first." Raven muttered, embarrassed, and she felt Jinx's confusion.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

The empath pulled back slightly so she could see Jinx's face, regretting the move when she felt her cheeks flush red. "I ah… may have thrown a few things."

Jinx laughed, before shrugging. "I'll find it in the morning. I'm kinda tired and snuggling sounds real good right now."

"Jinx, I really am sorry about what I said. I-"

She pressed her finger against Raven's lips, her other hand grabbing hold of empath's. "Shush. I don't wanna hear any more about it. It's sorted, right?" Raven nodded, and Jinx started backing up towards their bedroom, pulling the woman with her. "If it's really still bothering you later, we can talk before you go to work."

* * *

><p>Jinx jerked awake, her eyes opening to darkness, and it took a moment for her vision to adjust. It wasn't often Jinx woke up on full alert but it had been, once, back before the H.I.V.E when she was living it rough. It had been her body's way of telling her someone was far too close to her and she needed to prepare to fight, or run, not sleep. She'd always had good instincts.<p>

A little _too_ good. Although it had been a survival tactic that had all but vanished during her time at the Academy, she'd suffered from a relapse when she'd first started sharing the bed with the empathic titan – she would wake three or four times a night in total panic which had, of course, woken Raven up every time too. It had been as irritating as it had embarrassing, but that had stopped happening two years before. Jinx took it has meaning someone was in their apartment – someone who shouldn't have been there.

Jinx's hand searched the bed next to her for her lover, deciding that if someone had broken into their apartment she wasn't going out there without the resident demi-demon. It was slight over kill – the thief was no damsel in distress, and a territorial demon was a deadly demon, but she was well aware of the many enemies the pair had picked up over the years. A petty human burglar she could handle. A meta burglar she could handle. Her ex-team mates she could handle. But the League of Shadows? The Titans? The notorious Gotham villains Jinx had pissed off personally? She wasn't _that_ good.

Her hand came up empty, and Jinx didn't like that. The thief recognised she could be dealing with whatever woke her up, or the woman had woken Jinx up herself getting out of bed, after all the meta human had never been known for being a heavy sleeper. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her head, and it was beginning to unsettle her.

She sat up and scanned the room. There wasn't any light penetrating from under the closed door, and only minimal glow from the streetlamps outside, but that didn't really mean anything to her or Raven. The ex-titan's night vision was impeccable, and her own wasn't bad, her kitty-cat eyes not just for show, and a burglar who turned lights on was behind bars. Even so, she didn't like the lack of light in that moment. Quietly sliding out of the bed, Jinx grabbed her robe and donned it, tying the cord tight around her waist. Silk wasn't the ideal butt-kicking outfit, but she was hardly going to walk out there undressed, just in case, and she didn't want to appear paranoid by fully dressing if it was just Raven. After all, she could think of plenty f reason why her girlfriend would leave their bedroom, the most significant being their argument earlier that night. Despite making up (and later making _out_) Jinx knew that the woman could really keep a grudge. Best case scenario, she'd find Raven in the guest room. The worst case scenario? Raven was the threat. She couldn't shake what the woman had told her when they'd first moved in together. Jinx was really hoping Raven wasn't the threat.

She _tried_ to open the bedroom door quietly, she really did, but like anything in life it did the complete opposite until Jinx couldn't have cringed more if she'd tried. Despite the lack of lights she quickly spotted Raven by the front door, keys in one hand. At first all Jinx cared about was the smug-looking crimson eyes that pierced the dark. She counted four staring at her, and Jinx suddenly wished she'd stayed in bed, maybe curled up at the bottom beneath the covers. Then she noticed Raven was dressed, and her sudden suspicion drowned out her fear. She was pretty sure the empath hadn't been wearing anything when they went to bed. She was dressed up nicely too, in black skin tight jeans and a garnet camisole under a leather jacket that stopped at her waist. She realised he was jealous, and despite her fear glared at the demi-demon as she stepped further into the room.

"Where're you going?" Unspoken accusations coloured her voice, but she didn't care.

Raven took her time answering, moving to put the keys in her hand onto the kitchen top without removing her gaze from the thief. "I was going out, but now you're awake…"

"Out _where_?" Jinx pushed, deciding to ignore the voice in her head telling her to run and she stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest.

"Does it matter?" The corner of her lips pulled up ever so slightly. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but Jinx knew she was being laughed at.

"Yes, actually. People don't dress up for nothing." The woman replied rather explosively, her insecurity making her forget who she was addressing.

Raven didn't instantly reply, studying her lover for a moment before saying, "I was not going out with the intension of seeking company. Not _that_ type of company."

The tone of her voice brought Jinx's fear back, and she bunched her fists, trying to focus on the feeling of her nails digging into her skin as she quickly declared, "I never said you were."

The demon started to walk towards her, and Jinx backed up in alarm before forcing herself to stand her ground, her pulse beating hard in her neck as though trying to escape. Raven didn't stop walking until the edge of Jinx's robe brushed her clothing, leaning forward and whispering into the woman's ear, "You didn't need to. I can feel your jealousy. Taste it, almost." Jinx's gaze moved over Raven's shoulder towards the kitchen counter where Raven had put the keys as the woman's breath ghosted over her neck.

She knew Raven said something else, but later she couldn't recall what for her mind had been too busy working on an escape plan. Raven had warned her about her 'demon counterpart', enough times that it hadn't taken Jinx long to become sick of hearing it. Part of that warning had been what she should do if something ever happened. Find the Titans. It had sounded easy when she wasn't being cornered.

Before she'd even fully formed the idea, Jinx threw all of her body weight forward, ploughing into Raven and forcing her back a few steps in her surprise. She didn't try to regain her balance as she stumbled forward, knowing it was a waste of time, but let gravity take her forward, turning it into a neatly executed forward roll, pushing herself into a run the moment her feet touched the floor again. She felt the forgotten glass of the shattered light bulb cut into her feet but ignored it as the kitchen counter caught her, grabbing the keys before rushing to the door. Her heart was doing overtime as she waited for the stab in the back, the pain that would mark the beginning of the end, but it never came. Raven would have already recovered, but nothing happened.

She got the key in the lock on the first try despite her panic, and even managed to unlock it. But it wouldn't open. She went cold, almost feeling feint as all of the blood rushed from her head, and tugged on the door handle again, cursing. She was no longer in control of her actions as she put her foot against the wall and threw her weight back again and again until she thought she was going to dislocate something. When it finally sunk in that the door wasn't going to budge, probably glued into place by Raven's telekinesis, she let go of the door handle and took a moment to compose herself before turning around.

In that moment she had sympathy for every victim in horror movies as her imagination threw one horrifying possibility after another at her, but when she found Raven she was exactly where she'd last seen her, looking more than amused. It was scarier than everything her thought had created. Jinx's eyes remained glued to the demon, afraid to look away, and that's when it clicked.

"You do realise you wouldn't have gotten very far, looking like that."

Raven's smile widened, still silently laughing at her. Jinx moved on hand behind her back and tugged on the door again even knowing it was pointless. It didn't move, and she let her hand drop, suddenly itching for something to do. Even when facing death the woman's patience was limited. She finally side-stepped away from the door, working very hard to keep her eyes on the empath.

"Well, I'll ah… leave you to it. I'm sure you have better things to do than stare at me."

Raven's eyes followed the thief, Jinx not sure how she could tell considering all four slits were complete in their colour, but she could feel the woman's gaze. "I'm not sure I do."

Jinx was still moving away from the door when she accused, "You were going out with the intension of picking a fight! With who? The Titans?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Raven regarded her coolly.

"Then _who_?"

"I couldn't decide between the insolent mortal that would so readily risk your life or his 'dangerous' target, "The empath growled, her eyes narrowing into a glare.

Jinx relaxed slightly, and happy she wasn't the focus of the demon's anger, protested, "Rae, you can't kill potential employers! That's not how it works! You don't even know where to find them."

She started to walk towards Jinx, smiling, though it was a look that left Jinx's skin crawling. "I could smell him on the gun – I can find him, and through him this other threat."

"I told you I'd take the damn thing back!" Jinx stressed. "I thought we sorted this out!"

"They threatened you." Serenity was the last expression the thief had expected to see in those four red eyes, but it was there now. They had threatened her – it was apparently as simple as that. Jinx was happy to assume it meant her life was currently safe, but she didn't like how _protective_ it sounded, and when Raven reached her, Jinx shoved her back a few steps, scowling.

"I don't need your protection."

That look of serenity was gone, replaced by a smug expression that seemed much more at home on the demon's face. "Really? Weren't you searching for me when you woke because you believed someone might have broken in?"

Jinx jerked back, what little colouring she had draining from her face, leaving her feeling ice cold. She couldn't decide if she was angry or scared. "Stay the _fuck_ out of my head."

The thief's hands curled into fists, and she debated throwing a hex at the woman, deciding she would have if she weren't so materialistic. Years of living off little more than scraps could do that to a person, and she liked the home they'd made for themselves. Raven closed what distance there was between them, smiling, and Jinx decided she _really_ wanted to wipe that smug expression off the woman's face. Angry. She was definitely angry.

Once again Raven didn't stop until she was well and truly imposing on her lover's personal space, her hands ghosting over Jinx's haps and their lips inches apart as she challenged, "Make me."

Jinx's fist found the empath's gut. The punch surprised her as much as it did Raven, who stumbled back, her four crimson eyes wide with shock. The thief felt slightly better that the grin was gone from the demi-demon's face before she went back to fearing for her life – that hadn't been a smart move. Still, she managed to growl, "You promised you wouldn't do that shit."

Raven had always spoke about her demon counterpart like it was a different person. Jinx wasn't sure when she'd decided they were both the same person – both still 'her' Raven – but she had, which meant Raven was breaking some serious ground rules of their relationship. She'd been very clear early on about how she felt about Raven's telepathic abilities. Being able to feel her emotions all the time was more than enough for the meta human.

The ex-titan slowly straightened up and tugged at her top, smoothing it back into place before she smiled, "So I did."

Jinx couldn't remember making the decision to move, but the next thing she knew she was moving to punch Raven again. The empath dodged her almost effortlessly, grabbing Jinx's wrist and holding it still, grinning as Jinx glared at her.

"Domestic abuse now, Jinx? That's a new low even for you."

"Don't be cute." The thief scowled. "We spent most of our teenage years beating the crap out of each other." She tugged on her arm but Raven didn't let go. Her grip was solid but gentle, firm enough to keep her trapped but not bruising.

"Like the time you gave me that particularly nasty concussion?"

"Because you broke my fucking arm!" Jinx protested.

"I healed most of it that very night, did I not?" Her hand moved down Jinx's arm and over where the break had been. "I think I did a pretty good job."

"Let me go." Jinx pulled on her arm again before Raven used it to pull the woman closer, running the forefinger of her free hand down the triangle of exposed flesh above where the silky material crossed over Jinx's small breasts.

"Why would I do that?"

The thief glared, but shrugged. Raven had backed her into a corner where she no longer had an argument – no long ever remember what her original argument had been.

The demi-demon smiled, her fingers reaching the sash holding Jinx's robe shut and undoing it with one tug. "You don't want me to kill those men, so I won't. I'll stay indoors." She leaned forward and buried her face against Jinx's pale neck, breathing in her scent. The thief smelt vaguely like sandalwood - of warmth and comfort and home. Despite the completely bad situation, the thief felt her heart rate increase slightly with her arousal. Raven kissed Jinx's skin where shoulder met neck, releasing the woman's arm to push the robe off Jinx's shoulders, gravity doing the rest for her. "I'll stay here, but you can't stop me from having _any_ fun. I won't kill those men, but you're _mine_ for the rest of the night."

Raven's hands found the smooth skin of Jinx's waist before tugging her closer, one denim-clad leg slipping between both of the thief's, the press of the rough fabric adding to her arousal and with the tiniest twinge of embarrassment she wondered if it was something Raven could feel through the jeans – not that she needed to, her empathy being more than enough.

"Why do I get the feeling that this isn't a choice you're offering me?" Jinx asked, though she wasn't sure she really had a problem with that. It was a rare occurrence for Raven to take such a role, and even if the woman was pulling a 'daughter of hell' stunt, she was loath to pass up such a bounty.

"Because it _isn't_ a choice."

"And if I resist?" The thief enquired, but she was smiling slightly, and the white hands sliding under Raven's camisole silently claimed that resisting was the last thing on her mind.

Raven moved her lips away from Jinx's soft skin so she could properly look at the woman, her crimson gaze stoking feelings of fear, but also anticipation. "I'm not against using force."

* * *

><p>The first thing Jinx's mind registered as the woke was that she felt <em>sore<em>. From head to toe every inch of her body felt overworked, reminding her slightly of the mornings after rigorous training at H.I.V.E Academy. Only with one difference – aching had never felt this good before.

Her eyes snapped open, all feelings of bliss gone as the events of the night caught up with her. Most specifically, those four crimson eyes. She did her best impression of 'dead' as she listened out for any movement, the only sound being deep steady breathing. Raven was still asleep!

Jinx slowly sat up before making herself look at the empath in the morning light that had managed to find its way around the drapes, briefly wondering if the woman would burst into flames if she opened the curtains, to her own amusement. She had her back facing the thief, the thin sheet gathered at her waist.

"_Okay Jinx," _She silently told herself as she slid out of the bed. "_Slowly make your way to the kitchen and call the titans. They'll know what to do."_

She was almost standing when Raven stirred, the thief dropping to the floor from an automatic reflex to hide. Of course, it was hard to hide from someone who could sense your emotions. There was a pause before Raven's face appeared over the side of the bed.

"Why are you on the floor?"

Jinx studied the woman's face, relieved but also confused when she found two amethyst eyes set into a frown. She'd almost began to believe it had all been a bad dream and nothing more when she remember her aching body – no dream was _that _good.

"Rae? But you… the red eyes and…"

The empath looked startled, then worried as she asked, "Jinx, what do you mean 'red eyes'?"

She propped herself up on her elbows as she answered, "Red eyes! You had four red eyes and you were standing by the door and then you… and we… You mean you don't remember what happened? Any of it?"

"It might help if you were actually making any sense. I know English isn't your first language, but that was just ridiculous."

Jinx cringed. "Okay, this is awkward. I would like to point out that it can't be considered cheating because it technically _was_ you, you just don't remember."

Raven stared at the thief a moment before saying slowly, "How about we try this again and start from the beginning? Because I don't see how any of this explains why you're on the floor." Jinx opened her mouth to start but Raven stopped her with a raised hand before patting the edge of the bed. "Once you're sat up here, because I'm going to get a back neck if I stare down at you like that for too long."

Jinx stood and Raven crawled back over to her side of the bed to give the woman space. She sat and tucked her legs underneath her before saying, "Last night I woke up freaked out like I do sometimes and I was like 'shit' because I thought someone might have broken in but then I tried to wake you, you weren't in bed. You were out there by the front door only you had four eyes and you weren't exactly you. So I tried to do what you told me and get the titans but you wouldn't let me out the apartment and you threatened to kill some guys and you were being all weird and toying with me which isn't like you and-" she paused long enough to take a breath before finishing with, "- we ended up having sex. Then I woke up and thought you might still be all demonic so was trying to leave quietly when you woke so I hid on the floor only it didn't work but you're okay so it's alright."

There was a moment of silence where Raven processed what Jinx had told her before she asked, "Are you sure you weren't just dreaming?"

"Raven what freak dreams about waking up to find their girlfriend's gone demonic without it ending in their death?!" She twisted slightly, showing the woman her back and the deep scratches she could feel, marks left from the empath during her 'fun'. "I even have proof unless Freddy Krueger is suddenly haunting my dreams!"

The empath looked horrified. "Jinx, are you suicidal? You don't talk to my demon and you certainly don't fuck her! You _run_! She could have killed you, or worse!"

"FWI, you wouldn't let me leave! Trust me, I tried. Becoming demon-food isn't on my list of top ten ways to die." Jinx protested. "Besides, you didn't seem interested in my death. In fact you were being rather…sweet. Even if it was in a protective way which so wasn't cool. So, how come you're not demonic now?"

Raven didn't answer immediately, frowning slightly when she finally admitted, "I don't know."

"Because everything you've told me about this would suggest this is a fluke – it shouldn't happen."

"I know."

"Well… maybe that part of you isn't as bad as you've made it out to be." Jinx suggested, and the woman frowned at her in disbelief.

"Jinx she's a _demon_. Of course she's-"

"You're a demon." She quickly corrected. "You. There is no 'she'. Raven you talk about the instincts you get from your dad like it's someone else, but it's not. The way you spoke last night, the memories you recalled, it was all you. Just like 'Brave' and 'Intelligence' and every other aspect of you hidden in Nevermore."

"They why don't I remember any of it?" Raven challenged loudly, shifted so she kneeling. "None of it, nothing you've said means anything to me!"

"Maybe… maybe because you're trying so hard to believe 'she' isn't you." Jinx replied softly. "It doesn't work, you know, running from yourself. Trust me – I've tried on two occasions now."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe," Raven muttered. "You're one of the most self-confident people I've met."

"Yeah, I know, big shock, but long story short when I was a kid I tried to stop being a meta human and when that didn't work, after reaching America, I tried to tell myself it was always where I'd been and forget about home. And look at me now – every Thursday I force feed you dishes I remember my mom making, but we're not talking about me. If it helps any, I love you – all of you, even when you're playing Princess of Hell."

"You admitted you were trying to get to the phone to call the titans when you woke up!" Raven protested.

"Well, yeah – you scared the shit out of me! But next time I know what to expect."

Raven sat in silence for a moment, before muttering, "You don't force feed me anything – I like all of you cooking."

The thief smiled, genuinely pleased to hear that, before replying with, "And I like that you don't even attempt to cook. Seriously."

Jinx laughed at the shock on Raven's face, the empath eventually managing to compose herself enough to say, "Well… at least we're being honest."

The cat-eyed thief shuffled closer to Raven and kissed her, still smiling. She eventually pulled back enough to mumble, "When aren't I honest with you?"

"You do have a good record in that department, "The empath nodded. She pulled back so she could look at her before asking, "Exactly how does one go about _not_ being a meta human , especially since it's so dominant in your genetics?"

Jinx blushed, her eyes darting to the side as she asked, "What's the time? I need to go to the diner and give the gun back."

"It's already done."

"It's _what_?" Jinx asked.

"It's already done. Honey it's past ten o'clock. The alarm went off and I _tried_ to wake you but you were dead to the world, so I did it on your behalf."

She looked for the alarm clock on the bedside table, and seeing her lover was telling the truth asked, Okay how the hell did you know where to go? What did you do? And why were you asleep when I woke up?"

Raven frowned, "Don't sound so worried. I just handed him the gun and said you wasn't interested. I may have threatened him against contacting you again, but I was very civil. When I got back I decided I was still tired and went back to bed."

"How did you know where to go?" Jinx asked again.

"You're not the only one with contacts. I'm sorry – I didn't realise it was that big a deal. I just didn't want to wake you – you obviously needed the sleep. I tried everything but a bucket of water."

"You didn't want to wake me up or you didn't want to get the bed wet?" Jinx asked, her brow raised.

"I didn't want to wake you – need I remind you I could have easily carried or teleported you into a cold shower?"

"It wouldn't have been the first time." Jinx muttered, before asking, "When you said you tried _everything_…"

The empath smiled, an up tilt of her lips that made something low in the thief's stomach tighten. "I managed to get a few noises out of you, but I knew waking you up was futile after that, because it usually works."

"Betrayed by myself!" The woman scowled, genuinely upset. "Well, you can try again, if you want."

"I don't think I will. You missed your chance this morning."

"Bullshit! If it was after the alarm the only thing I'd have been waking up for would have been a cold shower!" Jinx accused, before muttering, "Maybe staying asleep wasn't a betrayal after all. Wait, if it's after ten, why aren't you at work?"

"I took the day off. I wasn't feeling a hundred percent when I woke this morning."

Jinx just stared at her. "You _never_ call in sick."

"That's probably because I rarely get sick." Raven replied, and seeing Jinx wasn't buying it, she shrugged. "That was a pretty bad argument we got into last night, and I didn't feel comfortable leaving it as such this morning. I never really did apologise for being such an… asshole. I know you're more than capable of looking after yourself, and I had no right to go off like I did."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're only saying this now because you've ensured I _can't_ do the job?"

Raven smiled sheepishly. "It might have something to do with my timing, but it's an honest, heartfelt apology none of the less."

"Then apology accepted. So, if you're not working and I'm not working, what are we gonna do?"

"I would suggest getting out of bed, for a start. I can't quite believe I managed to sleep in this late."

"Hmmm… sounds like a plan, but maybe later." Jinx smiled before kissing the empath. "You missed out on last night, what with your lack of memories and all, and we can't be having that."

* * *

><p><span><strong>AN:** You won't believe how long it's taken me to write this. So long (we're honestly talking months here), that I am absolutely sick of the damn thing which means no, I did not proof read it after typing it up. The very idea of proof reading the fucking thing makes me want to cry.(In my defence, Domestic Dispositions is a series of 'one-shots' originally meant for creative practice, not grammar practice)

Anyway, let me know what you thought :)


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Just a short something to keep you guys going in between updates :) Inspired by the episode where Raven can be seen knitting (and also my own habit of knitting)

**Reviews:**

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Kinda hot and sexy with dominating demon-Rae, I like the realistic tone that it had. And yeah couples fight.

_Glad you liked :)_

**Deathnoteuser: **Ahah, thanks for this and sorry for the headaches it caused. Can't say that I'm disappointed, 'cause this was absolutely lovely. I always love how...real the characters seem when you write them, from their personalities, to their responses, to their diction! This really made my day, so thanks! I really don't know what else to say without gushing and saying utter nonsense, so I'll leave it at that.

_Ahah well you still should be! You're welcome though – I enjoyed writing it. _

**Concolor44: **I think Raven's demon side might just be one of the HOTTEST things in this corner of the space-time continuum.  
>The argument? It made perfect sense when you think about the personalities of the two women involved.<br>Raven's demon going after the ones who "menaced" her mate? That makes ALL KINDS of sense. Territorial, those demons.  
>I love this. Love it, love it, love it!<p>

_Ahah I know I definitely have a thing for Rae's demonic side :P Glad you thought so, and glad you loved it!_

**Faraway-R: **Cute.

_Glad you liked :)_

**fanpersonpeople:** You, are awesome, continue the awesome, Im willing to take grammar for your storytelling. job good

_Ahah glad someone is! Anyway, I'm happy to hear you liked._

**Chaosrin: **Its quite good her backstory and the steps back and forth in periods of her life.

_Glad you liked that – I was a little unsure of that part myself!_

**animevacker104531: **hey first review on your stuff love it for the most part i like that raven and jinx have actual romance and day to day life.  
>wondering if you will ever make a ravenjinx/red x

_Hey there, and glad to hear you like! Shush…. You'll attract the plot bunnies (not that they need help finding me!) Ahah I just might have to do that… (though I should focus on my current stories first!)_

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><p>Jinx watched her lover in disbelief, Raven oblivious to the stares as she focused on the ball of wool in her lap and the old cotton wheel she'd stuck four needles in. She held a larger fifth needle in her right hand. Raven weaved the silvery-grey wool round the four needles, then pulled the wool over each one with the fifth needle in a seemingly endless, repetitive motion. Round, lift, pull. Round, lift, pull. Round lift pull.<p>

The TV had been completely forgotten by Jinx, though every now and then the empath's eyes would dart up to the screen, keeping track of the program. It was one of those fictional crime series her ex-leader had been so fond of. Raven had little patience for them herself, seeing how un-realistic their interpretations of time lines were, but Jinx enjoyed them.

The thief eventually broke the silence between them. "You know, if you want something to do…" She motioned down her body with her hands as Raven looked up, making the woman smile. "Seriously, even my grandmother wasn't this… _grandmothery_. I don't think she even knew how to knit. Or sew. Or do whatever the hell you're doing."

"Cyborg compared me to his Grandmother once, and one Christmas as a joke brought me several yarns of wool. By the time his birthday came around, I'd knitted him a large rug for the floor of his room. His expression was priceless when he opened the present." Raven grinned at the old memory. "Actually, so was everyone elses. Azar only knows what he did with it. If memory serves, Beast Boy stile it and used it as a blanket after he came down with a bad case of the flu and couldn't keep warm. It'd been French knitted, so it was thick."

Jinx shook her head in disbelief. "How long did it take you to do that?"

"A couple of months." Raven shrugged. "I did it out of his sight – wouldn't have been as fun if he'd been expecting it – so that hindered how much time I spent on it."

"Only you would spend months on a joke." She shook her head again. "Alright, two questions. One – we've lived together three years this September. How come I've never seen you knit before? Two, that aint knitting as I know it, so what the hell is it?"

"I started knitting in the Temple Of Azar. It was an alternative to meditating all the time, and something – one of the few things – I could sit and do with my Mother. Now I go through phases. And it _is_ knitting." She lifted up the cotton wheel, showing Jinx the length of knitted tube she was gradually adding to, sprouting out of the hole in the centre of the cotton wheel.

"And exactly what use is that?" The thief asked, frowning.

"Well, I can either make the required length for a knitting pattern to replace the basic yarn or I can sew it into a desired shape…" Raven shrugged. "I didn't start it with a goal in mind."

"Then why did you start it?"

"I finished my book and decided to give reading a break."

"Right. That's it." Jinx announced as she switched the TV off, before standing up and moving over to stand in front of the empath. She grabbed the wool and cotton wheel and threw it aside. "If we're going to be bored, let's be bored like people in _our _age group." Jinx straddled Raven's lap, smiling as she ran her hand through Raven's thick violet hair before grabbing a fistful near the base of her lover's skull, tilting her head back slightly. She lowered her lips to Raven's, hovering a few teasing millimetres above to say, "and that doesn't include knitting" before claiming those soft lips.

It didn't take long for things to heat up between the couple, but when Raven tried to stand with Jinx to head for the bedroom, the thief gripped hold of the back of the sofa, stopping her.

"Not this time babe. We haven't done from rounds of the apartment for a while." She smiled against the warm skin of the ex-titan's neck. "And what's the point of having an apartment if we don't take advantage of it?"

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><p><strong>I feel some more time with Rae's kids is just about due for the next chapter, don't you? <strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Teen Titans or any of the characters that appear in this chpt. (That includes Monsters Inc, which belongs to Pixar)**

**A/N:** **This has come a little earlier than I had originally intended, but this was therapy for me after reading the newest update to **_**Silently Watches**_'Consequence of Misunderstanding'.** If you've read it, you'll understand, if you haven't why are you still here? SW's writing is awesome and well worth a read!**

**Reviews:**

** : **Nice new chapter! And taking a break from reading is unheard of for me.

_Glad you liked :) Ahah it is for me, mostly because if I read all the time I'd never write (although taking a break from writing is unheard of for me!)_

**discb: **Raven knitting... Part of me sees it easily and part of me feels exactly like Jinx.

_Ahah no lies in one of the episodes (some time during season three, I think) Raven can be seen in the background knitting. I felt the same at the time, though now I'm in love with the idea haha._

**Deathnoteuser: **There are no words for how much I loved this chapter. It was abso-freaking-lutely beautiful. I especially liked Jinx's, "if you're looking for something to do..." shtick. And the little ones joining the party sounds like a bundle of fun. Especially if Melvin has asked the monks about certain...things shall we say.

_Ahah :'D Glad you enjoyed reading! It was fun to write! And as requested..._

**Faraway-R: **Raven knitting?  
>I can actually see that in my mind's eye.<br>"Raven weaved the silvery-grey wool round the four needles, then pulled the wool over each one with the fifth needle in a seemingly endless, repetitive motion. Round, lift, pull. Round, lift, pull. Round lift pull."  
>Round. Azarath. Lift. Metrion. Pull. Zinthos. Round lift pull. Round lift pull. Azarath Metrion Zinthos. :)<p>

_Oh wow - didn't think of that while I was writing it, but now you mention it, it explains EXACTLY why Raven could see it as another form of meditation!_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **This is slight new. I like it and motherly Rae would be nice too.

_One motherly Raven coming right up!_

**Spikesagitta: **Wait Raven knits? I must have missed that episode.  
>So the kids are coming back next chapter? Cool ;) wouldn't be mundane with them around!<p>

_I THINK it's sometime during season 3 though don't quote me on that, and it's only very brief, but it's there. Yus, yus they are._

**Stormplains:** Great short chapter. Knitting. Who knew Jinx could make it into a turn-on?  
>Oh wait, it's Jinx.<br>Yes, love to see more of the kiddies!  
>Keep writing strong.<p>

_Ahah I think Jinx could make just about anything a turn on :'D I think Rae got the hint though - if she gets knitting needles or any other form of knitting out, Jinx will fuck her. :'D_

* * *

><p>As Melvin let out a small giggle, Raven held a finger against her lips in a wordless gesture or the children to keep silent. Motioning for them to stay behind her, the empath opened the front door, glad to see Jinx wasn't in the main room.<p>

"So I'm giving you a choice of lamb or chicken for dinner!" Jinx's voice came from the study as Raven ushered the children inside and closed the door. "Don't you _dare_ say beef - I don't care if you enjoy it the most I'm sick of eating bloody cows, and it's probably doing hell to my karma, gods forgive me."

"Actually, I was thinking we might go out to eat." Raven replied back as she motioned the kids either side of the door frame leading to the study so they were out of immediate sight.

"Well it's on your wallet," Jinx told the woman as she appeared in the doorway. "How were the k-"

Timmy, Teether and Melvin launched themselves at the thief, who all but hit the ceiling, starting to swear before she caught herself, ending up spluttering - to Raven's utter amusement- "FU-dge sticks!" As the three kids hung onto her in something that vaguely resembled a hug, all laughing, Jinx glared at her girlfriend. "What the _hell_ Raven?"

"They wanted to stay over - they were very convincing, okay?" The empath defended herself. "It's only for the night."

"You..." It started off sounding angry, but Jinx seemed more amused when she finished with, "utter sap." Peeling Timmy off her left leg she told them, "Quit it with the grabbing already."

"I'm not a sap," Raven protested, a small portal opening as she waved her hand, three small backpacks depositing themselves onto the floor out of a black portal. "What kind of thief doesn't notice three people sneaking into her home anyway? Kids, give Jinx some space and take your bags to the guestroom."

"I steal things - I'm not paranoid... most of the time." Jinx replied as the three children picked up their bags and ran off. "But you _are_ a sap. Demon Halfling my ass."

Raven glanced worriedly towards the guestroom before frowning at her lover. "The rules of what can and can't be said in front of them haven't changed."

"Relax, they're out of ear shot. Besides, I don't think they'd care - kids are good like that."

"Regardless, they will know when _I_ think it's the right time and not a moment before."

"Okay, but I still don't think they'd care. I mean was Melvin upset over the idea of the two of us being in a relationship? She's an opened minded kid."

"Yes, thank you for your input."

Jinx sighed, but eventually shrugged and changed the topic. "So, where were you planning on taking us all?"

"I hadn't exactly decided." Raven admitted as the kids ran back into the main room, looking at them as she asked, "What do you fancy? Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese?" When Raven didn't get any answers she told them, "No we are not going anywhere that sells 'fast food' so don't even think about asking."

"What's wrong, worried about your weight?" The thief grinned, and the woman glared at her.

"I don't even do one tenth of the exercise I used to, and you insist on feeding me every day when my metabolism _isn't_ designed for it - it's not a laughing matter."

"Metabolism? What's that?" Melvin frowned.

"How quickly your body uses the food you eat." Jinx quickly explained, before telling Raven, "Don't worry, you're beautiful, love handles and all."

Raven's hands instantly dropped to her hips and Jinx laughed, an unseen force hitting her round the back of the head moments later. "You shouldn't joke; I'm sure you've lost weight - your chest has lost some volume within the last month or so."

The empath knew Jinx was just as sensitive - if not more - about her weight, even if it was for different reasons, but the look of panic on her lover's face was worth it as her hands cupped her breasts to verify the empath's claim.

"Well _I_ think you both look pretty." Melvin spoke up after watching the two adults, nudging Timmy. "Don't they?"

A confused expression on his face, the ginger boy shrugged making both women smile, Raven shaking her head as she told them, "Decide what you want to eat."

"...Indian." Melvin decided, to which Timmy pulled a face of disgust.

"No! I don't like it!"

Jinx frowned at the boy. "That's it, next time you're here I'm cooking, and if you don't like Indian food by the end of it Shani help me you're disowned."

"You can cook Indian food?" The girl asked, and Jinx grinned.

" I bloody hope I can - I _am_ Indian."

Melvin frowned at that for a moment, before shrugging and with a smile turning to Raven, "When can we next stay?"

"Can we talk about that later? If Timmy doesn't want Indian we won't eat Indian - you have to decide on something you all like."

"I like everything." Teether told her.

"Yes, we know _that_." Raven muttered, recalling when she had first met the three kids and Teether had decided to eat someone's shoe.

"Well if we're going out, I need to get changed." Jinx told them as she tugging on the bottom of the paint stained t-shirt she was wearing before moving past them towards the master bedroom.

"Are you _sure_ we can't go somewhere like KFC?" Melvin tried, only to shrink back as Raven glared at her, muttering, "Never mind."

"I did not bring you were to feed you rubbish." Raven told the young girl anyway. "You say you want to become an active titan when you're older so you need to understand it takes a lot more than regular exercise to stay fit enough to get into fights every day without seriously injuring yourself. Eating grease coated chicken is _not_ the way."

"Cyborg told me you guys used to eat pizza all the time!" Melvin protested quietly.

"Cyborg over exaggerates. Besides, do you have seven stomachs?" Raven asked, and the blonde shook her head. "How about a metabolism matching the animals you shift into and then some considering how much energy shifting takes? I'm not saying it was healthy, but the only normal stomach on our team was Robin." She tapped the girl's head. "Your mind might be extraordinary, but your stomach is all normal, and I will _not_ encourage unhealthy eating only for you to fall prey to health problems later in life, understand?"

"We ordered take out last time they were here!" Jinx called out from the bedroom where she was safe from her lover's glare.

"From the nice Chinese on the corner who's menu lacks anything deep fried. They're not _that_ unhealthy," She replied.

"One fast food joint won't kill them - besides, I _like_ KFC."

Raven could feel her patience quickly dwindling with the hex-caster, figuring the woman should be on her side, and replied, "Well I don't. Greasy food makes me feel ill and since I'm paying, I get the last word."

Deciding it was safer not to argue the point, and half wishing she'd never brought it up, Melvin looked at her younger companion and asked, "Well, what do you want?"

Raven groaned when Timmy shrugged, declaring, "It shouldn't be this hard!"

Despite her protests an hour later they were all sat on or around the sofa in the apartment with plates of fried chicken and chips, a film Teether had picked out - Monsters Inc - playing on the TV.

As they watched Randle sneak into a kid's bedroom through a white door with pink flowers into what was supposed to be a closet, Teether asked, "Are monsters real."

Jinx almost replied with, "Your sat next to one" in reference to her lover before biting her tongue and saying instead, "Have you _seen_ Bobby?" She laughed when Melvin punched her on the arm.

"Bobby's _not_ a monster! He's a giant teddy bear."

"Okay he's a bear, but he's still damn creepy though. In a cute kinda way."

Raven ignored them, not sure how to answer the youngest boy. She couldn't say a straight 'no' without feeling like she'd lied to him and she was trying very hard not to lie to any of them. "In a sense, yes, though they're not hiding in any closet, I can guarantee that."

"But only because Rae scared them away - she's scarier than any- OW!" Raven's punch held much more impact than Melvin's had, and the thief yelped, twisting round and glaring up at the woman from her seat on the ground as she rubbed her arm. "That wasn't very nice!"

Melvin and Teether were giggling, but Timmy didn't find it so amusing, complaining loudly, "SHUSH! I can't hear the movie!"

* * *

><p>The feel of movement against her clothes woke Jinx up and as she stared at the dark ceiling she got the feeling that something wasn't quite right. For starters, the bed was too warm, her lover being one of those cold blooded people who always felt cool to the touch. Something else was nagging at her brain and it wasn't until Jinx stilled her own breath that she realised she could hear an extra set of lungs working. There was a moment of confused panic, then a small foot found the centre of Jinx's back and pushed, the thief's brow pulling down into a scowl as she realised who the third person was.<p>

Jinx sat up and switched the bedside lamp on, the sudden light waking both Raven and Teether. Raven sought out her girlfriend with a slight frown. "What's wrong?"

"'_What's wrong'_?" Jinx repeated in disbelief. "I'm sorry, but since when did babysitting include bed-sharing?"

Raven looked down at the small child that had wormed his way between them. Teether had buried his face into the gap between their pillows to hide his eyes from the light, the yellowish glare harsh after the darkness. "He'd had a nightmare."

"He's sharing a room with Melvin and Timmy if he wants comfort," The thief pointed out. "A nightmare hardly warrants this."

The boy stick his head up and stared at Jinx with large tear-rimmed blue eyes and she suddenly felt the need to overlook the situation and go back to sleep. She didn't, shaking her head instead. "You can look at me like that all you want, it aint gonna change my mind."

"And you call me cold hearted," Raven muttered.

The thief gave her lover a hard look but sighed, "You have one minute to tell me how horrible this nightmare was and convince me of your cause before I kick you back to your own room."

"Monkey Man!"

While the statement had been enough for Raven, it meant nothing to Jinx and she frowned at the young boy. "Not convincing me."

"He means Monsieur Mallah," Raven told her, hiding a yawn behind her hand. "The Brotherhood of Evil sent him after the kids when they were targeting Titans.

"He was hiding in the closet." Teether added quietly, and Jinx laughed.

"Oh, he definitely came out of the closet a _long_ time ago, trust me."

"Not what he meant." Raven scowled.

"Sorry. Look Teether, there isn't even a closet in the spare room for him to hide in." Jinx sighed when the young lad shrugged. "Okay, fine. But if you manage to keep me awake you're out, understand?"

Smiling, Teether nodded, sticking his thumb into his mouth as he put his head down on the edge of Raven's pillow. Over him Raven silently mouthed 'thank you', to which Jinx replied with another frown before turning the bedside lamp off, muttering, "He better be fully toilet trained."

* * *

><p><strong>There is more! The next instalment will continue on from this point with Melvin, Timmy and Teether in tow :)<strong>

A few quick notes about the chapter:

1) In India (in Hinduism) cows are sacred animals. Jinx was raised Hindu, and while the really devoted don't eat meat at all, it's common practice for Hindus not to eat beef. Jinx claims not to believe in Hinduism, but like anyone raised in a religious family can attest, some things just stick with you, whether it's your belief or not.

2) NEVER joke about a woman's weight. Someone _will_ get hurt. It makes sense to me that being a demon - a hunter - Raven would have a slow metabolism so she could keep going even when she doesn't find food for a long period of time. As for Jinx, weight issues come in all different forms and I wanted to get that across to people. I'm underweight (have been all my life), eat three oversized meals a day and snack to hell and back. It's taken me a year to put on 5kg. I weighed myself the other day and I'd already lost 3kg. That's in the space of about a month. I think I missed five breakfasts. Someone asks me if I've lost weight, I panic, run to the closest fridge and eat as much as I can. I'd just like some people on the internet to understand that not all skinny people starve themselves, some eat cake all the time (heh), some people hate having sticky out hipbones and I'd like you to think of us next time you post a demeaning status (also getting turned down at the Blood Donors and for marrow bone donation because you're underweight isn't cool and hey, I consider myself comfortable with my body, think of those who have REAL self image issues.)

3) Trust me, when they're not your kids or siblings, waking up in the night to find an extra person in the bed can scare the shit out of you for the first few seconds.

4) For those of you who aren't familiar with the comics, Monsieur Mallah and the Brain are in a romantic relationship. Yup. A brain and a gorilla.


	14. Chapter 14 - Dhanatrayodashi

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TEXT!**

So, the next few updates are going to cover the 5 day festival of Diwali (i know I've gone out of timeline, sorry but the next babysitting chpt will be up soon). Most of you should be familiar with the 3rd day (or 4th, depending on the area of India) where all the diyas are lit (and most cities have light shows with fireworks and stuff now too)

I'm going to try and keep this fun and educational but beware I AM NOT HINDU. I am simply a writer with a character that grew up in India. I have only traditionally celebrated the holiday once and while I have done my best to keep this accurate, the Hindu religion is complicated. I've kept it patchy and just mentioned the basics for that very reason. If you're really interested, you can research it yourselves. If you are Hindu (or know the religion and spotted any mistakes) PLEASE let me know.

otherwise:

I DON'T OWN TEEN TITANS, THAT'S NOT MY PRIVALAGE.

IF ANY INFOMATION OF THE HOLIDAY IS WRONG, INSULT WAS NOT INTENDED, let me know and I'll correct my mistakes.

**Reviews: **

_Any reviews submitted for the previous chpt will be responded to when I write the next instalment for the babysitting tangent :)_

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><p>Raven wasn't use to getting up after Jinx, and she certainly wasn't used to her lover throwing her out of bed as though she were a sullen teenager hiding from school, so when the thief threw the bed covers off her, Raven couldn't help but snap, "What the <em>hell<em>, Jinx?"

"Get up already!" Jinx whined in reply as she left the room. "We've got things to do!"

"What 'things'?" Raven asked with a yawn before searching for the clock on the night stand, finding the hands pointing to 6am. "I'm not at work until nine - why are you waking me up now?" She didn't even bother searching for the bed covers as she dropped her head back onto her pillows and shut her eyes.

"You're not going to work. I spoke to your boss a few weeks ago and got you the next few days off, starting today."

The words refused to register in Raven's sleep clouded mind, and even when they did they failed to make any sense. Getting up, she put on her robe before stumbling into the main room.

"What? Why?"

The moment Raven reached the apartment's kitchenette Jinx shoved a mug of tea into her hands before moving to stand at the stove, the empath only just noticing the smell of food filling the apartment.

"I decided I wanted to celebrate the holiday with you, and I can't do that if you're working. Oh, yeah, contact the monks or Melvin at some point today, will you? The kids are staying over on the 3rd, but we'll pick them up in the morning. We'll go watch the fireworks in the city and stuff."

"Hold on a second. _What_ holiday?"

"Diwali, you dimwit," Jinx answered, glancing back at her lover. "Get that tea down you. Shani only knows how you managed to respond to emergencies before your morning cup of tea back when you were a titan. And Gizmo used to say _I _ wasn't a morning person."

"I responded just fine. In fact, the fights usually ended sooner," Raven responded before telling the thief, "You didn't celebrate Diwali last year. Or the year before, or the-"

"Yes, I know!" She quickly interrupted the ex-titan. "Your point?"

"Why now?"

"I... just thought it would be a nice idea for the kids. I mean what with the fireworks and everything, it can be pretty fun."

"Liar. That explains Sunday, but it doesn't explain the rest of the days you've booked off for me. I know I don't know much about Hinduism but I know that Diwali is celebrated over a few days - apparently the few you've booked off for me."

The woman didn't physically show her discomfort, but Raven felt the emotional change as Jinx battled with feelings of embarrassment, uncertainty and underneath that a well of happiness, patiently waiting for her lover to explain herself. "I never celebrated it with the guys - any of the holidays or festivals - and never really wanted to, I mean Gizmo would have just taken the piss anyway and the last two years of our relationship... I dunno. It was something I'd done in India with my family, not something I did in America."She glanced back over her shoulder, a strange shyness in her pink eyes. "I _want_ to this year. I guess I've finally found 'home' again." It didn't take long for the familiar playful smirk to work its way back onto her lips and she quickly deflected any questions Raven might have had as she turned back to the stove. "Now you done grilling me? If you wanted to play detective, Halloween was last night."

"You know if you wanted, I wouldn't object to you going back to India for a while," Raven gently told her. "I'd even give you a free flight."

"I know it wasn't them I ran from, but I couldn't just turn up now," Jinx shook her head, her embarrassment strong as she refused to look at the woman. "I mean what would I even say to them? That everyone was right? That running solved nothing? Now enough, it's a festival god damn it and I am going to be happy and enjoy it, not worry about things said and done."

"Alright, no more questions. Okay, one more. Exactly how many days did you book me off?"

"Five. I mean honestly it would have worked fine with just today and the 3rd off, but it's been a while since you had a break and I figured it'd be nice to spend a few relaxed days together." She turned away from the stove, a frying pan ladled with food in her grip. "Hungry?"

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><p>The 'things' Jinx had claimed they had to do turned out to be shopping, and despite it being one of Raven's least favourite past-times she dutifully remained with her girlfriend in the busy shopping mall as Jinx dragged them from shop to shop, all of them having a familiar theme of home-ware and kitchen utensils.<p>

When Jinx pulled the fourth non-stick wok from the rack for them to inspect Raven finally had to ask, "Exactly why do we need new things for the kitchen?"

"You're joking right? Have you seen the scratches on everything? And I swear two of my oven trays have grease permanently welded onto them, which reminds me - don't let me leave today without buying at least one new one. So what do you think? This one?" Jinx asked, shoving the pan into Raven's face for her to inspect. "Or the one from Kitchen World?"

"Does it matter? They both look the same to me."

"Barbarian. You're about as useful as Mammoth," Jinx muttered before hanging it back onto the rack. "The other one, I think."

"When you said you woke me up at six for a religious holiday of sorts, I must have missed the bit about it involving _shopping_," Raven complained as she followed Jinx down the aisle.

"It's a festival devoted to a goddess of wealth when it's not celebrating Shri Ram's defeat of Ravan or the death of Narakasura. The entire thing's about spending money and showcasing how rich you are. Sort of. People buy new clothes and re-kit their kitchens and stuff."

"Umm... who's defeat of who?"

"Shri Ram over Ravan, Ram being the good guy. Diwali isn't called the festival of light because of all the candles. Okay, it is, but the festival literally celebrates the inner fight of good of evil, of finding inner enlighten when you realise there's more to you than the mortal body. Of course you've got that part down pretty well." When Raven didn't respond she glanced back. "You want the entire 'Jinx's Sunday School' version?"

"Well, it would be nice to understand what we're celebrating."

"We'll find a cafe somewhere then and I'll tell you over tea, but just so you know you're only delaying shopping - I've got several more items on my like and we _are_ getting them."

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><p>Jinx cradled her mug of coffee between her hands, letting the warmth spread through her body. "Okay, so you already know Diwali is celebrated over more than one day. That's because each day has it's one little significant happening. Technically the festivities started yesterday with Govasta Dwadashi but I hate cows so, yeah."<p>

Raven's brow arched in bemusement, "And hating cows is a valid reason not to start the festivities yesterday because?"

"Right, sorry. Go means 'cow' and Vasta means 'calf' and in the story cows literally symbolise the earth."

"I think I remember you mentioning that cows are a sacred animal in India."

"Uhuh. So long story short a tyrant king, Vena, is punished for his terrible rule with a real bad famine. This dude's son, Prithu, chases the cow or some shit, the cow being the earth and milks it and BAM everyone's happy and well fed again. I dunno, it always seemed kinda stupid to me. I mean one cow and suddenly an entire province is well fed? Proverb or not, I never understood it."

"A loaf of bread and two fish fed thousands," Raven shrugged. "Every religion has it's hunger stories."

"I suppose, but whatever. We had goats as a kid anyway, so. Moving on. Today is Dhanatrayodashi, the 13th day on the lunar colander and the jayariti - or birth anniversary - of the god Dhanvantrari, the 17th reincarnation of Vishnu and god of healing. The religious tale for today is from the Samudra Manthan, a period in the Pumanas which are basically religious texts not unlike the stories found in the bible or whatever. So anyway, a bunch of demons were fucking about with Vasuki, the king of serpents, pulling his head while some demi-gods pulled the poor guy's tale to rotate this mountain which messed up some ocean and anyway long story short this like, created a few things from this ocean, one of them being a dead poison. They panicked, worried it was gonna kill everything in the universe, Vishnu went to Shiva and the dude swallowed the shit, saving the world but turning his neck blue."

"That sounds... healthy," Raven muttered dryly.

"I know, right? Anyway this Dhanvantrari guy came from the same ocean, linking him into the story. Besides that, today is the start of the new financial year in India, and considered a good say to buy gold and utensils and stuff, dhana literally meaning 'wealth', hence the shopping. Mom always used to drag us to the markets on Dhanatrayodashi.

"Hence the shopping. At least it made more sense than the previous story."

Jinx grinned, before telling her, "We'll get that oan, maybe a new set of pots, some new clothes - because that's a must - and some groceries for the next few days and we're done. I know you hate shopping. If it makes you feel any better, the next few days are mostly about food and good company."

"So no more shopping?"

"After today, no more shopping," Jinx nodded, smiling. She leaned across the table and lightly kissed the woman before finishing her coffee and musing, "You know maybe we'll shop for clothes first. I think I want to wear a sari on Lakshmi Puja, and I haven't worn one in years, so it could take a while."

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><p><strong>In case you didn't cotton on, I'm planning for there to be one of these for the next five days :) The main update of course being for Lakshmi Puja being that it's the day most western counties hold their main festival for Diwali with the light shows and stuff :) <strong>

_**FOR MY REGULAR READERS, PLEASE VISIT MY PROFILE AND ANSWER THE POLL!**_it's in regards to up and coming stories. Thank you :)


	15. Chapter 15 - Naraka Chaturdashi

**I WAS PLANNING TO HAVE THIS OUT FOR THE 2nd NOV. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, SO YOU SHOULD BE GETTING TWO UPDATES TODAY :) **

**Reviews:**

**Deathnoteuser: **Heh, "...made the fights shorter" xD loved that bit right there. I like learning about new religions and that was very educational and yet interesting at the same time :) spotted several typos but it's, what, 1-2 am in the UK? Well done but...are you sure you can handle 1 a day for the next few days? You're a damn plot bunny after all!

_Good :) Yeah, it was 2am haha. NO I CAN'T :( but I'm still gonna try._

**Spikesagitta:** It's Saturday where I'm from. And it's apparently the main Diwali day or something. And that was informative, despite having Hindu friends I never asked why it was celebrated. To me it was always, "yes! Public holiday! Woot!"

_It supposed to reach people by the 1st Nov, but I was kinda running late :P Yus, MOST western counties/cities celebrate the main festival on the 3rd day in line with North India, but you get the few cities that celebrate on the second day in line with Bengal and South India. I think it also helps where it falls on the calendar that year, because if it lands over a weekend people tend to just go "Fuck it, we're doing Diwali saturday night!" even if Saturday night is Yama Dwitiya! Ahah I ask my friend's mum every question I can think of xD She likes me because I'm more interested in the religion (and know more about it) than her two daughters xD_

**discb: **/shakes head Something's wrong with my school if I learn more on ff then in history class.

_Ahah xD I remember covering Diwali in Religious Studies, but it covered fuck all about what the festival was about. They just told us how it's celebrated *face palm*_

**MMOaddicted: **Superb as always, how do you find the time to research I'll never know. Answered the poll . And seriously this chapter caught me in the middle of a PM to you asking if you're allright after that storm that hit the UK a couple of years ago.

_Glad you liked! Urm... half of it is stalking my friend's mum, the other half is genuine interest in the religion xD Oh, and I have a fast internet connection :) Thank you :) (oh and glad you liked!) aha I think you mean a couple of days ago and it didn't even pass where I am. We had like a bit of rain and the wind wasn't even that strong so all good :)_

**I'm a Lover not a Hater: **Don't really know much about Hinduism or Diwali, but I'm sure this is a good festival so have fun!

_It IS! Fireworks, henna, lots and lots of food... (if your town/city holds celebrations I implore you check it you. Just, watch your bag and stuff. Because it's a festival for people to show off their prosperity and wealth is prime target for pick-pockets and snatchers, as Jinx would know ;)_

**AGAIN, LET ME DECLAIRE I AM NOT INDIAN NOR DO I CONCIDER MYSELF HINDU! I HAVE CELEBRAITED DIWALI TRADITIONALLY ONLY ONCE, SO ALL INFOMATION ON THE FESTIVES COMES FROM MY FRIEND'S MUM AND THE INTERNET!** If you have any problems with anything posted, please, contact me and we'll sort it out.

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><p>When Raven woke up to an empty bed, she decided she must have either overslept or been transported to some weird paradox where Jinx wasn't Jinx - or at least had some opposite traits. Rising after the thief once was weird. Twice in a row was simply unheard of.<p>

She didn't even bother looking at the clock for the time as she slid out of bed and made her way towards the bathroom, turning on the shower before staring numbly at the wall as she waited for the water to heat up. She didn't noticed the lack of towels on the rack until she'd stepped out of the shower, muttering at the thief under her breath as she went back to their bedroom and the airing cupboard tucked away in the corner of the room, leaving a trail of water across the laminate flooring.

Able to hear her lover moving about the apartment Raven raised her voice as she grabbed a towel and said, "You know, one of the responsibilities of getting up first is making sure certain things are in place. Bath towels, for example. Would it have killed you to put one on the rack when you realised there wasn't one?"

"Would it have killed you to look before you got into the shower?" She heard Jinx reply.

"I don't usually have to," She muttered, wrapping the towel around her chest and securing it in place before she wandered into the main room. Raven had expected to find Jinx in the kitchen - her natural dwelling place when she wasn't in the study. Instead she found her over by the window in the space that made up their 'living room', positioning tiny little candles around the room. Recognising the sari Jinx was wearing as one of two they'd brought yesterday, the light blue fabric embroidered in silver nicely complimenting Jinx's pale tones she offered the woman a smile. "You look beautiful."

"_You_ look half naked," Jinx replied, grinning. "And I'm not even going to mention your bad mood."

"What bad mood."

"Yeah, yeah. Keep denying it. I can practically see the rain cloud above your head. I _let_ you sleep in. I could have gotten you up with me."

"What time is it?"

"Seven."

Raven's eyes widened in shock. "Do I want to know what time you were up?"

Jinx shrugged, "I'll explain later if you like. I've got a feeling you're going to get a kick out of today's story. Now go get dressed. We've got people coming for lunch so I'm gonna need some help."

"Wait, we have? Am I the only one who's been completely left out of all the plans for the next few days?"

The woman walked over and gave her a playful shove towards the bedroom. "Dressed, now."

"Nine hells, am I the only one who heard that? I swear you just told me to put clothes _on_."

"You're hilarious," Jinx replied, but as she pulled her hand back from Raven's shoulder the empath grabbed hold of it and used her grip to pull her lover into a hug. The thief patiently waited until Raven released her before asking, bemused, "Better?"

She nodded, "a little" and she was.

"Telling me you'd be fine with me going to India for a while, you lying shit. Two mornings without me in bed when you wake up and you become as moody as fuck - and I'm still in the apartment! Gods know what a week or two of no contact at all would do to the city."

"Exactly who have you decided to invite?" Raven asked as she turned and moved into the bedroom, purposely ignoring Jinx's comment.

"A few people. I wasn't even sure I _wanted_ to. I mean I'm from South India so I used to have the main celebration today, but the city isn't doing it until tomorrow with the lightshow and stuff so I thought it would make more sense to do it all tomorrow with the kids but hey, why not both days?"

"Who?" Raven asked again, pulling clothes out of the closet.

"Well I sent out several invites but I've only had five replies."

"You're avoiding answering me, and it's getting old real quick."

"Alright, so I invited all four titans. Robin didn't so much as decline as kick my teeth in, but I expected that. The point is, I asked."

"...okay, so that's three. I'm surprised Beast Boy and Starfire accepted, but alright."

"And Mammoth and Kyd Wykkyd."

The light in the bedroom shattered. "_What_?"

"They al know and they all promised to behave," Jinx quickly told her girlfriend.

"And that's fine, "Raven told her, pulling on a long sleeved black t-shirt as she moved to the doorway so she could look at Jinx, "But _Mammoth_? Have you forgotten he attempted to _kidnap_ Melvin, Timmy and Teether not that long ago?"

"Rae it was a commission; he didn't do it for fun. If we weren't together I'd have probably been helping too."

She thought about arguing her point - wanted to - but didn't, knowing it would only start an argument. "Fine, just keep him away from me."

"He's a big guy in a small apartment, that'll kinda be impossible. Everyone else agreed to play nice. Can't you?"

"Jinx he went after my kids! He broke your ribs in an attack aimed at Melvin! _No-one_ harms my kids."

"I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to feel the wrath of a demon mother scorned, hell even I'm starting to get attached to the little brats," She noticed Raven's expression pull down into a scowl but didn't stop to address it. "I just want you to play nice for today."

"I..." raven visibly deflated as she gave up, muttering stiffly, "You're lucky I love you. And I'm _not_ their mother."

"Oh please, you mother them, they adore you - I bet they'd jump at the chance to have you as their legal mother. Now finish getting dressed. I have a meal for seven to prepare. You _are_ helping me."

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><p>Jinx passed a bag of chillies down to Raven with the instructions, "chop finely" before sticking her head back into the fridge.<p>

"How finely?" Raven frowned as she opened the bag and tipped the five chillies onto the kitchen top beside the chopping board she'd been given.

"Real finely. And when you've done that you can crush some spices for me." Jinx moved to her own chopping board and started dicing pieces of chicken breast before she told Raven, "So today's Naraka Chaturdashi. I'm from south India, so we always used to celebrate it as our main day along with our Bengali neighbours but the north and most western countries tend to have the main celebration tomorrow - Lakshmi Puja. Like I said earlier, I wasn't going to bother with today but it didn't feel right _not_ to do something."

"No, instead you invited a mix of heroes and villains into _our home_."

"Well usually people spend the day with family and friends. I _could_ have invited your parents if you really wanted me to."

Raven snorted in amusement at the idea of her father sat down for a meal playing happy families. "Okay, you've got me there."

"So I went for the next best thing, being the extended family."

"Alright, so why were you up before dawn this morning?"

"It's considered good luck to have an oil bath before dawn and I need all the luck I can get," Jinx grinned.

"So, this story?"

"Right. So, Lord Vishnu and the earth goddess Bhudevi had a son they named Narakasura, who eventually established the kingdom of Pragjyotasha. Bhudevi went to Vishnu and asked that their son have a long and powerful rein, so he did, but he became a power hungry asshole. You chopped those chillies yet? I could have done fifty by now."

"Hey, you asked me to help. I'm doing the last one now."

"So anyway, Narakasura took over several kingdoms and basically treated people badly, women especially. Hearing of this a devi, Satyabharua, approached Vishnu after he was reborn as Krishna and asked for his help. Long story short there was an epic battle, Krishna won, and Narakasura is now regarded as a demon."

"Devi being a goddess?"

"Basically, yeah."

"I've done the chillies," Raven told her, putting the knife down before saying, "You mentioned Vishnu yesterday."

"Vishnu is the supreme God of Hinduism. He's the essence of all beings, master of the past present and future, creator and destroyer of all existence. In other words he's someone you really don't want to piss off." Leaving the chicken Jinx quickly washed her hands before grabbing her clay pestle and mortar off the kitchen top and carried it with her to the pantry where she kept a spice rack, throwing several things in before taking it over to Raven. "Crush that stuff."

"So who is Shani? I've heard you mention him more than a few time." Raven picked up the pestle and studied the seeds and what almost looked like small twigs in the mortar before deciding it would be easier to use her powers, reducing the mix to a fine powder with the slightest amount of effort, placing the pestle back down in the clay bowl.

"Shani is a deva and the elder brother of Yama, the god of death. He is known as the greatest teacher and well-wisher for the righteous but also the greatest punisher for 'evil' people. If his planet, Saturn, comes into your horoscope during a certain time of your life you're guaranteed back luck and poverty for so many years. He has a connection with thieves and hey ho, what am I if not a thief? Believe it or not, I was unlucky enough to be born on Shani Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Shani - it's on the lunar calendar so it's not even like it's fixed date each year. Looking like I do well, most people thought Shani had a hand in it. One lunatic thought I was half devi!"

"You know you're talking to the half human child of Trigon the Terrible, right?" Raven shrugged. "I've heard weirder things."

"Well I've never heard of a deva or Hindu demon laying with humans. Besides, I'm nowhere near powerful enough and most Hindu deities have blue skin."

"I have brothers that can't do so much as read someone's emotions," Raven shrugged, before playfully nudging Jinx, "He must have had some reason for thinking it."

"You mean besides my _divine_ good looks?" Jinx grinned, before muttering, "Shani is described as being colourless in some texts. Somehow I think I'd know if I were other-worldly though, don't you? So cut the crap; I got enough of it from that freak when I was a kid. I was just a pale kid born in India, big whoop. And just a friendly tip, but those spices aren't going to grind themselves."

"It's done," Raven told her, and Jinx leaned over to look shocked.

"Oh... remind me to replace my pestle with you more often. I swear it takes me ages."

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><p>"You still sure this is a good idea?" Raven asked as she moved the sofas until they sat out of the way against the wall, able to feel the woman's nerves. She dragged the coffee table into the middle of the new space, careful not to disturb the diyas Jinx had left burning for most of the day.<p>

"It'll be fine." Jinx replied. "Put these dishes on the coffee table, would you?"

The empath walked over and accepted several small dishes of different dips, chutneys and relishes, putting them on the coffee table along with the plates Jinx shoved at her. She moved to stand back into the kitchen and watched the woman roll out some sort of stiff dough into a thin sheet.

"What have I told you about standing round doing nothing in my kitchen when I'm cooking?"

"I'm not doing nothing. I'm watching you."

"Well if you're gonna watch that intently there's going to be a quiz later."

"I said I was watching you, not watching you cook." Raven muttered and Jinx smiled.

"Who said the quiz would be on food?"

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Jinx looked over her shoulder at Raven. "Answer the door would you?"

"Sure."

"And _behave_," Jinx told her as the empath moved for the door. "Or there wont be a quiz tonight - or anything else."

"Okay, I'll behave. So long as they do."

When she opened the door she was faced with Cyborg, the titan barely missing a beat as he pulled Raven into a hug, loudly calling out, "Happy Diwali guys!"

Releasing Raven he moved into the appartment and headed for Jinx, pulling her into a hug too, Raven hearing the thief reply, "Yeah, yeah. Diwali ki shubhtamnayein back at you, now back off before you make me burn something."

"Happy Diwali." Starfire also greeted before asking Raven, "Do I too get the hug?"

Raven sighed, but awkwardly held her arms out by her sides in invitation, instantly feeling her ribcage collapse in on itself the moment the Tameranian hugged her.

"It is so good to see you! It has been too long!"

"Yeah... I see your hugs haven't become any less... exuberant."

Starfire released her, grinning sheepishly, before moving for Beast Boy, the only one not in his uniform, but instead a pair of black jeans and a purple button up shirt. The changeling pulled Raven into a quick one armed hug before showing her the bag he was holding.

"We decided we should bring something but couldn't decide what, then Cyborg said wine goes with everything, so I hope you guys drink."

"We drink," Jinx told him, "Especially when we're not paying. So, you couldn't convince Robin to come?"

"If he wants to be a miserable Glor'kaflam, let him." Starfire quickly replied, her voice surprisingly harsh.

"Right." Raven shut the door behind Beast Boy before telling them somewhat awkwardly, "Make yourself at him. Apart from you, Beast Boy, unless you've magically learnt the meaning of 'clean' within the past few years because Jinx is a neat freak and I am not prepared to have her going on hyper drive."

"The green bean aint actually that bad anymore." Cyborg offered. "You can see the floor of his room most days, anyway."

"Wow."

"Don't sound so surprised," Beast Boy muttered, before asking cheerfully, "So when the other two getting here?"

Raven turned to look at her girlfriend, brow arched, and Jinx smiled. "I told you."

* * *

><p><strong>I was running really short on time and had planned to write the entire meal and stuff because you know, it's BOUND to be fun what with all the awkward small talk, but instead have this (as requested by Deathnoteuser);<strong>

"I see Rae still insists on keeping a library," Cyborg said as he studied the two bookshelves next to the TV.

"A few are mine," Jinx smiled, "But yeah, she's still a book freak."

"She had those bookshelves back at the tower," Starfire joined in cheerfully. "They're awfully tall, aren't they? I was always worried they might fall over."

Jinx nodded, "I hear you there," before trying to grab Mammoth's attention. "Yo, big guy, pass the rice this way."

"We were in her room during an earthquake once. It's scary when they shake."

The thief looked back at Starfire as she told her seriously, "Earthquakes aren't the only thing that make them shake. They _used_ to be in the bedroom, but it made it too damn hard to concentrate on what we were doing and I hated that."

"No, not cool!" Cyborg yelped, grabbing everyone's attention. "TMI Jinx! That's not even bragging; that's sexual harassment. We did _not_ need to know that!"

**Jinx. Turning dinner parties awkward since forever. Needless to say the next chapter will be late. I have a job interview tomorrow before I go to my friend's who lives 2 hours away for a few days. I will still be writing and uploading as fast as I can, but I'm only human :) **


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: For this entry we've fast-forwarded into time where the kids are teenagers. I was kinda getting bored of the younger years, and there's more to play around with at this age. Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing! Sorta proof-read this. Think it's alright but don't be surprised if you find typos. **

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><p>Jinx tapped her foot impatiently as she glanced at Tyler. "I thought you said he would be five minutes."<p>

The young boy shrugged. "That's what he told me."

"…Wait here," Jinx instructed after another minute of waiting. "Don't move from this spot until I'm back with your brother, capiche?"

"Okay."

Jinx trudged onto the school yard of dwindling students, trying to recall what Timmy had been wearing when he left the house that morning. It had definitely been something black, but then that's all he seemed to wear now days, no that Raven or herself were in any position to bitch about that…

She heard his voice before she saw him, towards the back of a cluster of buildings. Laughter followed, the voices all male. Jinx didn't need to be told why a group of boys would hang out behind a building and she yanked the hood of her jacket down as she marched round the corner, her eyes livid.

Five boys stood in a circle, Timmy and a boy she didn't recognise stood with their backs against a wall. A blonde lad spotted her first and tried to hide the cigarette in his hand as he did his best to warn the other.

"Tim, aint that your Mom?"

Hazel eyes whipped round as the teenager pushed off from the wall. She was there before he could drop the cigarette and snatched it off him, crushing it in her fist. The boys stared in shock as they waited for her to recoil away from the burn but Timmy knew better than to expect it to faze her. He watched her eyes instead as they crackled dangerously with pink energy, afraid to look away.

"What the _fuck_ is this?!"

"It's not-"

"What it looks like?" She interrupted sarcastically. "Because let me tell you exactly what it looks like. It looks like you're making your brother and I wait around like idiots when you _know_ I shouldn't be on school grounds while you slowly kill yourself. Please, correct me if I'm wrong." When nothing but silence followed she held out her hand. "The rest of the fags – hand them over."

"I don't know about you, but I only see on fag around here." The comment had been quiet but Jinx had heard, and with a flick of her hand and a flash of pink the boy who'd spoken landed on his ass.

Jinx looked at him. "Say that again. I dare you."

"Jinx-" Timmy started, but quickly corrected himself as he saw the look on her face. "_Mom-_"

"I don't wanna hear it. Now hand them over."

"He… he doesn't have them, Miss," one of the other spoke up, his fear of the woman obvious, and he flinched as she look at him. "They're Ross's."

"And which one of you idiots is Ross?"

"Mom, why are you making it such a big deal? I'm sure you smoked at some point."

"Cute. I've done _many_ things, but you don't escape from cops and Titans with tar-filled lungs. For fuck sake Timmy, if you want to rebel or whatever steal a car or break into someone's house! When you're eighteen, whatever, but not now."

"It's Tim," the redhead muttered

"Uhuh." Holding her hand out to the group once more she said, "I still want those fags, Ross." No-one argued with her, and the boy on the ground dug the packet out of his jacket pocket before handing them to the thief. "Where the hell did you even get these?"

"My brother's room," he muttered sourly."

"When your brother realises they're missing I hope he kicks your ass for it. Next time you decide to act tough, grow a fucking pair and try to buy them yourself." Looking at Timmy, she pointed in the direction of the school gates. "You, get moving. Unless you want to face the wrath of your Mother we need to hit the laundrette because she will smell the smoke on you the moment you walk through the door. Next time I will not be helping you with Raven, understand? Come on – before one of the teachers spot me and call the cops. Raven will have _my_ ass if the cops get called out here."

Timmy started walking, dragging his feet, and Jinx tugged her hood back up after pocketing the cigarettes, following him.

"You embarrassed me in front of my friends," he accused.

"Hopefully as much as I embarrassed your friends. Ross is a real douche, by the way. I don't like him."

"You don't have to," Timmy muttered in reply. "But you didn't have to attack him."

"That wasn't an attack – that was a warning. If he were any older it would have been an attack. Timmy, how the hell can you call someone like that your friend? Even _my_ friends have more respect than him and they've spent half their lives behind bars."

"The cops wouldn't see that was a 'warning'," He commented, ignoring the last bit.

Jinx laughed. "I've been playing cat and mouse with the cops for over two decades. Find a better threat if you're gonna try to intimidate me."

"What about Raven?"

The thief paused to glare at the boy. "Like I said, we're not going to mention this to anyone. Don't think you can keep using it as blackmail though because if this happens again I _will_ be telling her."

"But _why_ are you so against it? You honestly think Mom would rather I have a criminal record than smoke?"

"It only goes on your record if you get caught. Besides, I won't tell you off for anything I've done – you know that – so I have to make a stand somewhere."

"No you don't," the boy muttered.

"If you want to fend for yourself, go ahead. The city's your oyster. I won't try and stop you. If not, suck it up."

"You'd just let me run away?" He challenged sceptically.

"Sure. You're Mom and I both did when we were younger than you."

"Mom wouldn't."

"You asked for my reaction, not hers," Jinx smiled. "Of course she wouldn't. She'd go to hell and back to find you – literally if she had to." She frowned at Timmy, "So don't be making that trip come any sooner than it has to be, got it?"

"I get it!" He whined, losing his patience. "Just stop drilling it into me already! I heard you the first time."

Spotting Jinx and Timmy, Tyler ran over, scowling at his older brother. "What's the deal? I want to go home – I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry," Jinx replied as she ruffled his blonde hair. "He got caught up talking to his friends."

"Yeah, well, can we go now?"

"Sorry kid – gotta make a quick stop at the laundrette. Just don't mention it to Raven."

"Why not?" Tyler frowned, and Jinx dug her wallet out of her back pocket, waving it in the air.

"Because she doesn't need to know, and you'll be rewarded for your silence."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The words 'Jinx' and 'Parent' don't exactly fit together too well in my mind. I definitely couldn't see her being your average parenting figure, but at the end of the day she tries to teach them right. Sort of. Or, as she might say, she's giving them a more 'realistic' expectation of the world.<strong>

**Not sure what the legal smoking age is in USA, but in UK you can smoke at 16 but you have to be 18 to actually buy cigarettes. Makes no sense, I know. **

**I have two other… drafts for Domestic Disposition to come, both featuring the kids in their teens. Both also happen to be heavily orientated around Melvin. **

**Thanks for reading, and reviews are welcome :) **


	17. Chapter 17

**Sometimes I feel really down and then I go on my emails to find a collection of wonderful reviews. Thanks to everyone who's contributed a review to this collection of one-shots, as always! It really does make my day. **

**Melvin and Jinx this time (with some Raven). It's kinda turned into a mini-story but I'm sure that's fine. Next chapter will involve more Raven! **

_**Reviews:**_

Thanks to Stormplains, Concolor44, Firedon, Discb, XxRin-sanxX_, _I'm a Lover not a Hater, chaosrin, Spikesagitta, mttmercado, Deathnoteuser, and gnurd for the reviews (a double thanks for those who helped clear up the legal smoking age in the USA. Kinda forgot different states can have different laws.

* * *

><p>The heels of Raven's boots <em>clacked<em> loudly against the polished floor as she quickly made her way from the school's reception to the head teacher's office. She knew the way well despite having never entered the school before enrolling her two eldest; Timmy had given her plenty of reasons to be called in at the end of the school day. It was, however, the first time she'd been called in because of Melvin.

The head teacher – a man by the name of Brian Summers – had his office labelled with a simple bronze plaque. She knocked loudly, her impatience showing even through the simple movement, and was greeted by the head teacher's gruff voice.

"Come in!"

Raven pushed the door open and took in the room – the tired slump of Mr Summer's shoulders that made the tall man seem small and Melvin, avoiding her gaze and staring stubbornly at her lap, sat across from the head teacher.

"Ms Roth," Brian Summers nodded, and Raven took a seat next to her adopted daughter.

"This is becoming too much of a common occurrence," she muttered. "So, what is this about?"

"Melvin put her class mate in hospital this afternoon," Brian said calmly, and the girl's head snapped up, blue eyes seeking out the empath for her reaction.

"Jason was bullying Robert like he does every lunch break! I-"

Raven didn't have to say anything – the look she gave Melvin was enough to silence her – and the teacher looked on with the smallest feelings of pity, only able to imagine the telling off the girl would get later.

The ex-titan looked at the man. "How serious were the injuries?"

"A broken wrist and a few bruises."

"And the bullying?"

"We've taken statements from the students who witnessed the fight. They all commented that Jason was picking on the lad, and Robert has reported similar incidents to staff members before. Jason's parents have been informed of their son's behaviour and when he returns to school he'll be punished correctly, don't worry."

"And Melvin?" Raven asked.

"Violence, no matter the intent, isn't tolerated in this school. She's been suspended for the next week starting tomorrow, and will sit in detention for her breaks for the week following."

Raven let out a heavy sigh but nodded. "This will be dealt with at home as well, I assure you."

The man nodded, before commenting, "She says she's training to become a Teen Titan."

"Emphasis on the training. We've told her she's got to finish school first."

"She excels at gym class, so I'm told," he looked at Melvin. "She's an all rounded good student. It's a shame this has happened. Let's try to avoid a repeat of this, hmm?"

"So, are we finished?" Raven asked.

"I have nothing more to say on the matter."

Raven nodded and stood, Melvin following her. As the door shut behind them the empath spoke. "No doubt your brothers are already on their way home."

Melvin knew Raven hadn't decided to downplay what had happened, or ignore it, and she kept her head down as the woman's soul self enveloped them, as embarrassed as she was angry. When the black cleared she found herself in the kitchen of the small town house they'd been living in for the past few years, Jinx already preparing dinner.

The blonde turned to look at Raven. "Jason had him on the floor and was kicking him! He does it every day just because Richard's fat! I couldn't just stand there and let him do that!"

"No," Raven replied, her voice calm; so calm Jinx flinched before putting down the knife she'd been using and turning to observe the pair. "No, you had to break his wrist."

"You did _what?" _Jinx asked as she took a few steps towards them.

"That was an accident! I only meant to make him stop but he turned on me and-"

"Jinx isn't teaching you to fight so you can beat up kids on the playground! You're supposed to be training to be a hero – so start acting like one."

"How is this any different from what you used to do when you fought the H.I.V.E, or Johnny Rancid or Red X or… _any _ of the others?!"

"They knew how to fight, well enough that the police couldn't detain them on their own – well enough that our help was _needed_. **You** attacked an ordinary human boy who has probably never been in a real fight instead of going to your teachers and handling the situation probably. Melvin, I have taught you better than that."

"I _helped a friend!_"

"Your lessons with Jinx are cancelled until further notice-"

"But-"

"And consider yourself grounded for the next two weeks."

"This isn't fair! Jinx, tell her!"

"Sorry kid – I'm one of the bad guys remember? I have no voice in this."

"What if it had been someone picking on Uncle Gar or Victor of Aunt Kory? You wouldn't have just let it happen! You think you're so above everyone else but you're not!" Melvin's voice had risen to verge on screaming, Raven's calm expression only angering her more. "Timmy's in trouble almost every week and I do _one_ thing – I stand up for someone – and-"

"You're older than Timmy. You should know better."

Melvin stood deathly still for a moment before ripping her school bag off her shoulder and throwing it onto the floor. "You act like you're our Mom but you're not!" Frustration filled her and made her arms ache until she picked up the bag again, this time throwing it at the empath.

It hit the woman's legs, and Jinx took several angry steps forward. "Hey! Don't throw shit! You're not two!"

"I hate you!" Melvin declared, angry tears rolling down her cheeks as she backed up towards the front door, glancing at Jinx. "I hate both of you!"

Raven didn't react at first as Melvin yanked the door open and went outside before slamming it behind her, frozen in place, but then she was moving after the girl, her heart in her mouth. Jinx grabbed the woman's arm, stopping her.

"Don't. Trust me. Just let her get some air for a few hours an' if she's not back by then I'll go find her. She won't last long – she didn't even take a coat."

"But we need to go after her-"

"No buts," she interrupted calmly. "If you drag her back here she's never going to let it go. Let her come back in her own time. She's a teenager, honey. This is what they do. When she's calmed down it'll be like nothing ever happened. Besides, someone needs to be here when Timmy and Tyler get back."

"She hates me…" Raven muttered after a moment of silence. "I knew I never should have adopted them. It was selfish," She pulled her arm out of her girlfriend's grip. "They deserve better than this. A normal family."

"What are we? Chopped liver?" Jinx asked irritably before she took hold of the woman's shoulders gently but firmly. "Those kids have more of a stable environment than most of the kids at that school, and you know it. We're financially secure, we have a reasonable house, Melvin's top in her classes and Tyler is one of the most caring people I have ever damn met. Sure, Timmy's got some issues but he keeps it out of the classroom and he's not a bad kid. I know what Melvin said, but she didn't mean it."

"How do you know? I'm a bad parental figure. I'm a _demon_ for hells sake. Why have I been so stupid, thinking I could-"

"Enough!" Jinx interrupted, scowling at the woman. "Enough with the self pity already. So she said some things, big fucking deal. You just grounded her; of course she's going to be pissed off. Hell, she said she hates me too but I aint losin' my shit over it. I need to finish dinner, which means you're going to meditate. I'll bring you a cup of tea in five minutes, alright?"

The empath just blinked at her in shock before wandering further into the house, shoulders slumped. Jinx sighed and moved back into the kitchen; switching the kettle on before turning back to the tomato based paste and spices she'd been browning in the bottom of a wok. She'd only just added slices of chicken breast when Timmy and Tyler walked through the door, both lads dumping their bags and coat by the door before kicking off their shoes.

"S'up guys? How was school?" Jinx asked over her shoulder, and Tyler came running up to her, holding a pink sheet of paper.

"I got an insidedence form!"

"_Incident_," Jinx said slowly, before frowning. "Why? You hurt yourself playing football again?"

"Nope!"

"He ate a pencil," Timmy muttered as he wandered into the kitchen and peered into the wok.

The youngest boy grinned as Jinx looked at him, and the thief resisted the urge to bang her head down on the work surface. "We've talked about this, little dude. Just 'cause you can bite through it doesn't mean you can digest it!"

He just smiled and shrugged. "Where's Mom?"

"In one of the rooms meditating," Jinx replied, and as Tyler started to wander off she spoke up, "Make sure you give her a hug!"

She knew there was nothing to worry about. Despite having celebrated his tenth birthday Tyler remained very affectionate, and would often try and sit on Raven's lap while she was meditating or insist on leaning against her side while they were sat watching TV. The same couldn't be said for the eldest boy, however.

"Where's Melvin?" Timmy asked as he stepped back out of Jinx's way. "She wasn't on the bus."

"She's gone out," Jinx replied simply, checking on the wok before making the cup of tea she'd promised her girlfriend. "So how was your day?"

"Alright," he shrugged. "Someone set off the fire alarm so we got to miss an entire lesson.

"Someone, or you?"

He grinned. "Someone. A senior, I think."

"Good. Think Rae's more tired of seeing your principle than you are."

"About that – we've got a parents evening comin' up. Why don't you come this time?"

"Why? So Rae doesn't have to see your grades?" Jinx smiled, before saying seriously, "I'm a wanted criminal. The cops'll be there the moment I walk into your school. You know that."

"If they wanted to arrest you that badly wouldn't they just come here?"

"I don't officially live here. I'm not on the contract, I don't get post and I don't officially pay for any of the bills; I give Rae the money in cash. They'd need a warrant to search this place an' to get a warrant they'd need an actual reason. Not to mention Rae knows how the law works better than some of the cops."

Timmy frowned. "Don't you get tired of it?"

"Sometimes," She shrugged. Jinx smiled slightly and passed him Raven's tea. "Take this to your Mom and give her a hug too." The redhead pulled a face, but before he could complain Jinx shot him a warning look. "It won't kill you, and she needs cheerin' up."

"_Alright_. Fine. But you owe me."

"The fuck I do! She's your Mom – you're _meant_ to hug her every now and then. You just need reminding."

"Still think you should come to parents evening," Timmy said as he left the room.

"You tryin' to get me arrested?" She called after him and he paused long enough to reply.

"No, it'd just be nice for once. I mean I know only Tyler calls you 'Mom' but you still are, right? And it is parentS evening."

Jinx stared at the empty doorway for a moment before shaking her head, wearing a small smile as she went back to cooking dinner.

* * *

><p>Leaving the house Jinx had bet Raven she'd find Melvin within half an hour. It took her fifteen minutes. After calling a list of the girl's friends to check she hadn't taken shelter at any of their homes Jinx took to the streets and used her own experience and familiarity with the city to check likely spots someone without money might go to for the night.<p>

Jinx found her in the third spot she checked, sat huddled near the extractor vent to someone's air conditioning. She unfolded Melvin's coat from over her arm as she approached the girl.

"Rule number one. If you're gonna run away, dress warm. You can always take layers off but you can't put on what you don't have." Jinx threw the coat at Melvin as she looked up. "I've seen people with full bellies die from the cold."

"How did you find me?"

The thief laughed, ignoring Melvin's glare as she sat down beside her, making herself comfortable. "I've been on these streets since I was half your age – they haven't changed much in all those years. As comfortable as this spot is, it's Chad's, and he aint gonna be happy if he comes back to find us here."

"Don't see his name anywhere," Melvin muttered.

"Rule number two. Everywhere belongs to someone, especially if it's a spot as good as this. And people only keep a spot by fighting for it. Or by paying up to the right people."

"So I'll fight for it."

"You could try. See only thing is Chad's a bit too old now to fight for himself, and everyone knows Lucky owes him her life. No-one wants to fight Lucky."

"Who's 'Lucky'," Melvin frowned.

"A lying, thieving heartless bitch. And a good fighter – even with Bobby you couldn't take her out."

"How do you know?" The girl asked, and Jinx just smiled.

"I don't know what you think it'll be like, but you won't get to be a hero. You'll need food, and no-one gives to a street rat. You'll turn to stealing food or money eventually, and you'll be caught. You'll get it on your record and maybe spend a while in jail before finding yourself back on the streets. You _could_ try begging but you won't get much. Not enough to clothe and feed you every night. Sometimes not even enough for a meal a week. You sure you wanna do this?"

"No," Melvin muttered sourly. "I just… _it's not fair_. She's always telling me to stick up for myself and what's right – to help people. Then when I do she yells at me for it."

"She didn't yell," Jinx grinned.

"Exactly. Sometimes that's even worse."

"You don't need to tell me that," The woman replied. "I would have done the same thing in your place. Probably. Or maybe not – I wasn't exactly the nicest kid at school, but you get my point."

"Then why doesn't Mom?"

"She spent her childhood in a monastery, she feared her own emotions, was taught to favour logic over feelings. I understand because I remember being your age. Your Mom never really got to be a kid – never got to be anything shy of who she is now. And you know why that is."

"Her father," Melvin mumbled, and Jinx nodded. "Why did you run from home? You never told us."

"I stood out. A lot. You know I'm Indian. My village is tiny, probably doesn't even house a thousand people. They'd never seen a meta human before and most feared me, called me cursed. The parents of the man I was betrothed to called off the wedding and it was a huge blow to my family. It was embarrassing, and the other family had been richer than us – it was an alliance they needed. My parents tried moving to a town but it didn't help much, so I left. It wasn't my parents fault and I thought that maybe without me they might be able to live a better life. They had my two brothers and were expecting another kid – a daughter, according to the local doctor. They didn't need me."

"That's… not what I expected," The blonde said quietly after a moment, and Jinx smiled.

"What did you expect? An angst-y tale of rebellion? Unloving parents?"

"…Yeah. Kind of."

Jinx grinned. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Melvin frowned. "I've heard Mom say that before."

"I should think you have – she loves that proverb, and for a reason."

"Don't you miss them?"

"I did, at first," Jinx shrugged. "Haven't really thought about them in years, to be honest. I don't even know if they're still alive. Maybe they were better off for me leavin' and maybe they weren't. To be honest I couldn't even tell you what they looked like anymore."

They sat in silence for a moment, Melvin eventually putting her coat on.

"She loves you, you know. All three of you, as though you were her own."

"…I know." Melvin muttered.

"Oi, You!"

Jinx and the girl both looked up at the sound of the rough voice, the young blonde tensing up while the thief rolled her eyes.

"That's my fuckin' spot! Go find yer own!"

"Evenin', Chad," Jinx called back, vaguely waving at the man stumbling towards them.

Melvin winced and fought the urge to cover her mouth and nose with her hand as a sour smell reached them, Chad just feet away. Building blocked out most of the light from the streetlamps but the girl could pick out some features – an un-kept beard and long tangled hair showing from beneath his hood. He opened his mouth to speak, and Melvin could see black gaps where several teeth were missing.

"Your missus kicked you out again?"

"Not this time," Jinx shook her head as Melvin stared at her in disbelief, the old man forgotten.

"You mean all those times..? Mom always told us you had somewhere to stay."

"Who the hell is that?" The man grunted.

"One of mine," Jinx answered, deliberately ignoring Melvin.

"Does this look like a fucking daycare to you?"

Jinx laughed. "Chill – I'm not leaving her here, Rae would kill me. There was a little family disagreement and I just happened to find 'er here."

"Yeah well you're still in my spot. I don't care how long you've known me, it aint free."

"Alright, fine!" Jinx got to her feet, but when Melvin tried to follow her she stopped her. "You stay here. Don't you dare move, understood? I'll be back in ten minutes, tops."

"But-"

"No buts."

Melvin watched Jinx tug her hood up before walking off. After a moment the stranger sighed and sat himself down where Jinx had been, Melvin looking away as she tried not to gag.

"So, what ya running from?" Chad asked, and Melvin shrugged, staring down at her hands. "I aint gonna bite kid. Me 'n Lucky go way back."

Melvin's head snapped round and she stared at the man. "_Jinx_ is Lucky?"

"You sound shocked. Name mean somethin' to you?"

"Earlier she told me…" Melvin scowled as she tried to figure out if the woman would have really fought her for a homeless guy. "She said she owes you her life."

The man smiled, looking strangely bashful. "She's too modest. T'weren't nothing. Even at ten that gal knew what she were doin', even if she didn't understand a word o' English."

"You knew her when she was a kid?"

"Too right I did. Came home ta find her sat right where you are, all skin an' bones, not that that's exactly changed much… Dunno why I didn't run her off like everyone else. Musta caught me in a good mood. Taught her English, I did."

Whatever discomfort Melvin had felt regarding the stranger slowly vanished, and she asked him, "Why are you… you know. On the streets?"

"Wife kicked me out. Went through a rough patch in mi life. Turned to alcohol and never looked back. Want a work of advice? Stay at home kid. Lucky's a good person. Sure she steals and gets into fights but her heart's in the right place. If you do run though, come here and you're gonna get your ass kicked. Got it?"

"… Why do you call her Lucky?"

"We couldn't talk when we first met and I had to call her something'. I think it suits."

"Her powers are _bad luck_," Melvin corrected with a frown and the man shrugged.

"Don't mean _she_ can't be lucky, an' either way it's a catchy name."

Melvin didn't argue, just frowned down at her hands and waited for Jinx to come back, wanting to know where she'd gone but not wanting to ask the man. The silence didn't bother Chad, and he rearranged some filthy sheets of cardboard as he hummed to himself, trying to brush off most of the dirt before settling down so he was more comfortable.

When Jinx came back she was hiding something beneath her jacket. Reaching the pair she pulled out the blue labelled bottle and passed it to Chad. "Don't let anyone see you with that – the shop's gonna realise they're missing $200 pretty quickly."

The man smiled. "Johnny Walker? You do look after me."

"Not like I paid for it," Jinx grinned as she watched him open the bottle and take a swig. "How you been doin' recently anyway? Not seen you in a while."

"Good as I can be," Chad replied with a toothless grin, offering Jinx the bottle.

Melvin watched, repulsed, as the woman accepted the bottle and took a drink, the image of the man's rotten gums stuck on her head. It wasn't until Jinx smiled at him that she realised what she was doing - that it made her almost as bad as Jason. She looked away, embarrassed, neither adult seeming to notice.

"Good. You know how to find me if that changes." She passed Chad the bottle back and looked at Melvin. "We'll get out of your hair. No doubt Rae's worried sick by now. You comin' Melvin? Or am I tellin' her you're not coming back?"

The teenager didn't even hesitate as she got to her feet, past sulking and not stubborn enough to sit it out. "I'm coming." Pausing, she looked at Chad. "It was nice to meet you. Sorry about sitting in your spot."

"You too, kid. Don't let me catch your ass 'ere again."

She forced a smile. "You won't."

Jinx led Melvin away with a hand on her back, offering Chad a half wave before she asked the blonde, "Now, what do you tell Rae when you get back?"

"'Sorry'?"

"'Sorry', and..?"

"It won't happen again?" Melvin tried, and Jinx shook her head.

"Not quite what I was going for." When she didn't offer anything else the thief asked, "What did you say when you left?"

"…Oh." Melvin blushed. "I said I hated you both."

"Do you?"

"Of course not! I was just angry."

"Good. Then you're going to let her know that too, because for some reason she's been taking it out on herself."

"Oh. I didn't mean it though. She's an empath – didn't she-"

"She's an empath. She's also your Mother and a woman with a lot of insecurities. I told her she was being stupid but she doesn't listen to me."

"…I'm sorry," Melvin said earnestly after a moment of walking in silence, and Jinx smiled.

"_I_ forgive you. Come-on, the sooner we clear this up with Raven, the better."

* * *

><p>The thief held the front door open and motioned for Melvin to go first. Raven, who had been hovering restlessly in the kitchen since putting Tyler to bed, heard the door open and was there almost instantly.<p>

"Did you-" Raven cut off as she saw it was Melvin and not her girlfriend she was talking to, the worried look in her eyes hardening. Melvin hadn't know what reaction to expect from her, and she didn't know what to do with the one she got either.

"I'm sorry," the teenager muttered as she hung her head. "I shouldn't have run – that was stupid. And I _don't_ hate you. At all. I was just angry."

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Melvin shook her head before glancing up at the woman. Her tone had been distant, as though she were asking out of habit, not out of care, conflicting with what Melvin had seen when Raven first appeared.

She hesitated a moment before rushing forward and hugging the ex-titan tightly. Raven tensed, and for a heart-shattering moment Melvin thought the woman was going to push her away. She didn't, returning the hug instead.

"I am sorry too. I should have listened to your side of what happened."

"Does that mean I'm not grounded?" Melvin asked hopefully, still hugging the woman, so she didn't see her scowl.

"No. You're still grounded." Raven grabbed Melvin by the shoulders and held her back at arm's length for a moment before letting go completely. "Go to bed – I'll be expecting you in the kitchen with your books by half eight. If you want breakfast I suggest you get up before then."

Melvin pouted but nodded and hurried off. With the girl gone, Raven turned her attention to Jinx.

"What took you so long?"

"Bumped into an old friend; an' that was after talking to Melvin. You should try that more, talking. You're just as stubborn as she is, you know that?"

"Thank you, for finding her," Raven said.

"Didn't I say everything would be fine? Come on – I don't think Melvin's the only one who should be in bed."


End file.
